the odyssey(奥德赛)-第25章

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to　a　servant；　〃Take　this　piece　of　pork　over　to　Demodocus　and　tell
him　to　eat　it；　for　all　the　pain　his　lays　may　cause　me　I　will　salute
him　none　the　less；　bards　are　honoured　and　respected　throughout　the
world；　for　the　muse　teaches　them　their　songs　and　loves　them。〃
　　The　servant　carried　the　pork　in　his　fingers　over　to　Demodocus；　who
took　it　and　was　very　much　pleased。　They　then　laid　their　hands　on　the
good　things　that　were　before　them；　and　as　soon　as　they　had　had　to
eat　and　drink；　Ulysses　said　to　Demodocus；　〃Demodocus；　there　is　no
one　in　the　world　whom　I　admire　more　than　I　do　you。　You　must　have
studied　under　the　Muse；　Jove's　daughter；　and　under　Apollo；　so
accurately　do　you　sing　the　return　of　the　Achaeans　with　all　their
sufferings　and　adventures。　If　you　were　not　there　yourself；　you　must
have　heard　it　all　from　some　one　who　was。　Now；　however；　change　your
song　and　tell　us　of　the　wooden　horse　which　Epeus　made　with　the
assistance　of　Minerva；　and　which　Ulysses　got　by　stratagem　into　the
fort　of　Troy　after　freighting　it　with　the　men　who　afterwards　sacked
the　city。　If　you　will　sing　this　tale　aright　I　will　tell　all　the
world　how　magnificently　heaven　has　endowed　you。〃
　　The　bard　inspired　of　heaven　took　up　the　story　at　the　point　where
some　of　the　Argives　set　fire　to　their　tents　and　sailed　away　while
others；　hidden　within　the　horse；　were　waiting　with　Ulysses　in　the
Trojan　place　of　assembly。　For　the　Trojans　themselves　had　drawn　the
horse　into　their　fortress；　and　it　stood　there　while　they　sat　in
council　round　it；　and　were　in　three　minds　as　to　what　they　should　do。
Some　were　for　breaking　it　up　then　and　there；　others　would　have　it
dragged　to　the　top　of　the　rock　on　which　the　fortress　stood；　and　then
thrown　down　the　precipice；　while　yet　others　were　for　letting　it　remain
as　an　offering　and　propitiation　for　the　gods。　And　this　was　how　they
settled　it　in　the　end；　for　the　city　was　doomed　when　it　took　in　that
horse；　within　which　were　all　the　bravest　of　the　Argives　waiting　to
bring　death　and　destruction　on　the　Trojans。　Anon　he　sang　how　the
sons　of　the　Achaeans　issued　from　the　horse；　and　sacked　the　town；
breaking　out　from　their　ambuscade。　He　sang　how　they　over　ran　the
city　hither　and　thither　and　ravaged　it；　and　how　Ulysses　went　raging
like　Mars　along　with　Menelaus　to　the　house　of　Deiphobus。　It　was
there　that　the　fight　raged　most　furiously；　nevertheless　by　Minerva's
help　he　was　victorious。
　　All　this　he　told；　but　Ulysses　was　overcome　as　he　heard　him；　and
his　cheeks　were　wet　with　tears。　He　wept　as　a　woman　weeps　when　she
throws　herself　on　the　body　of　her　husband　who　has　fallen　before　his
own　city　and　people；　fighting　bravely　in　defence　of　his　home　and
children。　She　screams　aloud　and　flings　her　arms　about　him　as　he　lies
gasping　for　breath　and　dying；　but　her　enemies　beat　her　from　behind
about　the　back　and　shoulders；　and　carry　her　off　into　slavery；　to　a
life　of　labour　and　sorrow；　and　the　beauty　fades　from　her　cheeks…
even　so　piteously　did　Ulysses　weep；　but　none　of　those　present
perceived　his　tears　except　Alcinous；　who　was　sitting　near　him；　and
could　hear　the　sobs　and　sighs　that　he　was　heaving。　The　king；
therefore；　at　once　rose　and　said：
　　〃Aldermen　and　town　councillors　of　the　Phaeacians；　let　Demodocus
cease　his　song；　for　there　are　those　present　who　do　not　seem　to　like
it。　From　the　moment　that　we　had　done　supper　and　Demodocus　began　to
sing；　our　guest　has　been　all　the　time　groaning　and　lamenting。　He　is
evidently　in　great　trouble；　so　let　the　bard　leave　off；　that　we　may　all
enjoy　ourselves；　hosts　and　guest　alike。　This　will　be　much　more　as　it
should　be；　for　all　these　festivities；　with　the　escort　and　the　presents
that　we　are　making　with　so　much　good　will；　are　wholly　in　his　honour；
and　any　one　with　even　a　moderate　amount　of　right　feeling　knows　that　he
ought　to　treat　a　guest　and　a　suppliant　as　though　he　were　his　own
brother。
　　〃Therefore；　Sir；　do　you　on　your　part　affect　no　more　concealment
nor　reserve　in　the　matter　about　which　I　shall　ask　you；　it　will　be　more
polite　in　you　to　give　me　a　plain　answer；　tell　me　the　name　by　which
your　father　and　mother　over　yonder　used　to　call　you；　and　by　which
you　were　known　among　your　neighbours　and　fellow…citizens。　There　is
no　one；　neither　rich　nor　poor；　who　is　absolutely　without　any　name
whatever；　for　people's　fathers　and　mothers　give　them　names　as　soon
as　they　are　born。　Tell　me　also　your　country；　nation；　and　city；　that
our　ships　may　shape　their　purpose　accordingly　and　take　you　there。
For　the　Phaeacians　have　no　pilots；　their　vessels　have　no　rudders　as
those　of　other　nations　have；　but　the　ships　themselves　understand
what　it　is　that　we　are　thinking　about　and　want；　they　know　all　the
cities　and　countries　in　the　whole　world；　and　can　traverse　the　sea　just
as　well　even　when　it　is　covered　with　mist　and　cloud；　so　that　there
is　no　danger　of　being　wrecked　or　coming　to　any　harm。　Still　I　do
remember　hearing　my　father　say　that　Neptune　was　angry　with　us　for
being　too　easy…going　in　the　matter　of　giving　people　escorts。　He　said
that　one　of　these　days　he　should　wreck　a　ship　of　ours　as　it　was
returning　from　having　escorted　some　one；　and　bury　our　city　under　a
high　mountain。　This　is　what　my　used　to　say；　but　whether　the　god　will
carry　out　his　threat　or　no　is　a　matter　which　he　will　decide　for
himself。
　　〃And　now；　tell　me　and　tell　me　true。　Where　have　you　been　wandering；
and　in　what　countries　have　you　travelled？　Tell　us　of　the　peoples
themselves；　and　of　their　cities…　who　were　hostile；　savage　and
uncivilized；　and　who；　on　the　other　hand；　hospitable　and　humane。　Tell
us　also　why　you　are　made　unhappy　on　hearing　about　the　return　of　the
Argive　Danaans　from　Troy。　The　gods　arranged　all　this；　and　sent　them
their　misfortunes　in　order　that　future　generations　might　have
something　to　sing　about。　Did　you　lose　some　brave　kinsman　of　your
wife's　when　you　were　before　Troy？　a　son…in…law　or　father…in…law…　which
are　the　nearest　relations　a　man　has　outside　his　own　flesh　and　blood？
or　was　it　some　brave　and　kindly…natured　comrade…　for　a　good　friend
is　as　dear　to　a　man　as　his　own　brother？〃

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　BOOK　IX。
　　AND　ULYSSES　answered；　〃King　Alcinous；　it　is　a　good　thing　to　hear　a
bard　with　such　a　divine　voice　as　this　man　has。　There　is　nothing　better
or　more　delightful　than　when　a　whole　people　make　merry　together；
with　the　guests　sitting　orderly　to　listen；　while　the　table　is　loaded
with　bread　and　meats；　and　the　cup…bearer　draws　wine　and　fills　his
cup　for　every　man。　This　is　indeed　as　fair　a　sight　as　a　man　can　see。
Now；　however；　since　you　are　inclined　to　ask　the　story　of　my　sorrows；
and　rekindle　my　own　sad　memories　in　respect　of　them；　I　do　not　know　how
to　begin；　nor　yet　how　to　continue　and　conclude　my　tale；　for　the　hand
of　heaven　has　been　laid　heavily　upon　me。
　　〃Firstly；　then；　I　will　tell　you　my　name　that　you　too　may　know　it；
and　one　day；　if　I　outlive　this　time　of　sorrow；　may　become　my　there
guests　though　I　live　so　far　away　from　all　of　you。　I　am　Ulysses　son
of　Laertes；　reknowned　among　mankind　for　all　manner　of　subtlety；　so
that　my　fame　ascends　to　heaven。　I　live　in　Ithaca；　where　there　is　a
high　mountain　called　Neritum；　covered　with　forests；　and　not　far　from
it　there　is　a　group　of　islands　very　near　to　one　another…　Dulichium；
Same；　and　the　wooded　island　of　Zacynthus。　It　lies　squat　on　the
horizon；　all　highest　up　in　the　sea　towards　the　sunset；　while　the
others　lie　away　from　it　towards　dawn。　It　is　a　rugged　island；　but　it
breeds　brave　men；　and　my　eyes　know　none　that　they　better　love　to
look　upon。　The　goddess　Calypso　kept　me　with　her　in　her　cave；　and
wanted　me　to　marry　her；　as　did　also　the　cunning　Aeaean　goddess
Circe；　but　they　could　neither　of　them　persuade　me；　for　there　is
nothing　dearer　to　a　man　than　his　own　country　and　his　parents；　and
however　splendid　a　home　he　may　have　in　a　foreign　country；　if　it　be　far
from　father　or　mother；　he　does　not　care　about　it。　Now；　however；　I　will
tell　you　of　the　many　hazardous　adventures　which　by　Jove's　will　I　met
with　on　my　return　from　Troy。
　　〃When　I　had　set　sail　thence　the　wind　took　me　first　to　Ismarus；　which
is　the　city　of　the　Cicons。　There　I　sacked　the　town　and　put　the
people　to　the　sword。　We　took　their　wives　and　also　much　booty；　which