the odyssey(奥德赛)-第28章

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what　kind　of　liquor　we　had　on　board　my　ship。　I　was　bringing　it　to
you　as　a　drink…offering；　in　the　hope　that　you　would　take　compassion
upon　me　and　further　me　on　my　way　home；　whereas　all　you　do　is　to　go
on　ramping　and　raving　most　intolerably。　You　ought　to　be　ashamed
yourself；　how　can　you　expect　people　to　come　see　you　any　more　if　you
treat　them　in　this　way？'
　　〃He　then　took　the　cup　and　drank。　He　was　so　delighted　with　the
taste　of　the　wine　that　he　begged　me　for　another　bowl　full。　'Be　so
kind；'　he　said；　'as　to　give　me　some　more；　and　tell　me　your　name　at
once。　I　want　to　make　you　a　present　that　you　will　be　glad　to　have。　We
have　wine　even　in　this　country；　for　our　soil　grows　grapes　and　the
sun　ripens　them；　but　this　drinks　like　nectar　and　ambrosia　all　in　one。'
　　〃I　then　gave　him　some　more；　three　times　did　I　fill　the　bowl　for　him；
and　three　times　did　he　drain　it　without　thought　or　heed；　then；　when
I　saw　that　the　wine　had　got　into　his　head；　I　said　to　him　as
plausibly　as　I　could：　'Cyclops；　you　ask　my　name　and　I　will　tell　it
you；　give　me；　therefore；　the　present　you　promised　me；　my　name　is
Noman；　this　is　what　my　father　and　mother　and　my　friends　have　always
called　me。'
　　〃But　the　cruel　wretch　said；　'Then　I　will　eat　all　Noman's　comrades
before　Noman　himself；　and　will　keep　Noman　for　the　last。　This　is　the
present　that　I　will　make　him。'
　　As　he　spoke　he　reeled；　and　fell　sprawling　face　upwards　on　the
ground。　His　great　neck　hung　heavily　backwards　and　a　deep　sleep　took
hold　upon　him。　Presently　he　turned　sick；　and　threw　up　both　wine　and
the　gobbets　of　human　flesh　on　which　he　had　been　gorging；　for　he　was
very　drunk。　Then　I　thrust　the　beam　of　wood　far　into　the　embers　to　heat
it；　and　encouraged　my　men　lest　any　of　them　should　turn
faint…hearted。　When　the　wood；　green　though　it　was；　was　about　to　blaze；
I　drew　it　out　of　the　fire　glowing　with　heat；　and　my　men　gathered　round
me；　for　heaven　had　filled　their　hearts　with　courage。　We　drove　the
sharp　end　of　the　beam　into　the　monster's　eye；　and　bearing　upon　it　with
all　my　weight　I　kept　turning　it　round　and　round　as　though　I　were
boring　a　hole　in　a　ship's　plank　with　an　auger；　which　two　men　with　a
wheel　and　strap　can　keep　on　turning　as　long　as　they　choose。　Even
thus　did　we　bore　the　red　hot　beam　into　his　eye；　till　the　boiling　blood
bubbled　all　over　it　as　we　worked　it　round　and　round；　so　that　the　steam
from　the　burning　eyeball　scalded　his　eyelids　and　eyebrows；　and　the
roots　of　the　eye　sputtered　in　the　fire。　As　a　blacksmith　plunges　an　axe
or　hatchet　into　cold　water　to　temper　it…　for　it　is　this　that　gives
strength　to　the　iron…　and　it　makes　a　great　hiss　as　he　does　so；　even
thus　did　the　Cyclops'　eye　hiss　round　the　beam　of　olive　wood；　and　his
hideous　yells　made　the　cave　ring　again。　We　ran　away　in　a　fright；　but
he　plucked　the　beam　all　besmirched　with　gore　from　his　eye；　and
hurled　it　from　him　in　a　frenzy　of　rage　and　pain；　shouting　as　he　did　so
to　the　other　Cyclopes　who　lived　on　the　bleak　headlands　near　him；　so
they　gathered　from　all　quarters　round　his　cave　when　they　heard　him
crying；　and　asked　what　was　the　matter　with　him。
　　〃'What　ails　you；　Polyphemus；'　said　they；　'that　you　make　such　a
noise；　breaking　the　stillness　of　the　night；　and　preventing　us　from
being　able　to　sleep？　Surely　no　man　is　carrying　off　your　sheep？
Surely　no　man　is　trying　to　kill　you　either　by　fraud　or　by　force？
　　〃But　Polyphemus　shouted　to　them　from　inside　the　cave；　'Noman　is
killing　me　by　fraud！　Noman　is　killing　me　by　force！'
　　〃'Then；'　said　they；　'if　no　man　is　attacking　you；　you　must　be　ill；
when　Jove　makes　people　ill；　there　is　no　help　for　it；　and　you　had
better　pray　to　your　father　Neptune。'
　　〃Then　they　went　away；　and　I　laughed　inwardly　at　the　success　of　my
clever　stratagem；　but　the　Cyclops；　groaning　and　in　an　agony　of　pain；
felt　about　with　his　hands　till　he　found　the　stone　and　took　it　from　the
door；　then　he　sat　in　the　doorway　and　stretched　his　hands　in　front　of
it　to　catch　anyone　going　out　with　the　sheep；　for　he　thought　I　might　be
foolish　enough　to　attempt　this。
　　〃As　for　myself　I　kept　on　puzzling　to　think　how　I　could　best　save
my　own　life　and　those　of　my　companions；　I　schemed　and　schemed；　as
one　who　knows　that　his　life　depends　upon　it；　for　the　danger　was　very
great。　In　the　end　I　deemed　that　this　plan　would　be　the　best。　The
male　sheep　were　well　grown；　and　carried　a　heavy　black　fleece；　so　I
bound　them　noiselessly　in　threes　together；　with　some　of　the　withies　on
which　the　wicked　monster　used　to　sleep。　There　was　to　be　a　man　under
the　middle　sheep；　and　the　two　on　either　side　were　to　cover　him；　so
that　there　were　three　sheep　to　each　man。　As　for　myself　there　was　a　ram
finer　than　any　of　the　others；　so　I　caught　hold　of　him　by　the　back；
esconced　myself　in　the　thick　wool　under　his　belly；　and　flung　on
patiently　to　his　fleece；　face　upwards；　keeping　a　firm　hold　on　it　all
the　time。
　　〃Thus；　then；　did　we　wait　in　great　fear　of　mind　till　morning　came；
but　when　the　child　of　morning；　rosy…fingered　Dawn；　appeared；　the
male　sheep　hurried　out　to　feed；　while　the　ewes　remained　bleating　about
the　pens　waiting　to　be　milked；　for　their　udders　were　full　to　bursting；
but　their　master　in　spite　of　all　his　pain　felt　the　backs　of　all　the
sheep　as　they　stood　upright；　without　being　sharp　enough　to　find　out
that　the　men　were　underneath　their　bellies。　As　the　ram　was　going
out；　last　of　all；　heavy　with　its　fleece　and　with　the　weight　of　my
crafty　self；　Polyphemus　laid　hold　of　it　and　said：
　　〃'My　good　ram；　what　is　it　that　makes　you　the　last　to　leave　my　cave
this　morning？　You　are　not　wont　to　let　the　ewes　go　before　you；　but　lead
the　mob　with　a　run　whether　to　flowery　mead　or　bubbling　fountain；　and
are　the　first　to　come　home　again　at　night；　but　now　you　lag　last　of
all。　Is　it　because　you　know　your　master　has　lost　his　eye；　and　are
sorry　because　that　wicked　Noman　and　his　horrid　crew　have　got　him
down　in　his　drink　and　blinded　him？　But　I　will　have　his　life　yet。　If
you　could　understand　and　talk；　you　would　tell　me　where　the　wretch　is
hiding；　and　I　would　dash　his　brains　upon　the　ground　till　they　flew　all
over　the　cave。　I　should　thus　have　some　satisfaction　for　the　harm　a
this　no…good　Noman　has　done　me。'
　　〃As　spoke　he　drove　the　ram　outside；　but　when　we　were　a　little　way
out　from　the　cave　and　yards；　I　first　got　from　under　the　ram's　belly；
and　then　freed　my　comrades；　as　for　the　sheep；　which　were　very　fat；
by　constantly　heading　them　in　the　right　direction　we　managed　to
drive　them　down　to　the　ship。　The　crew　rejoiced　greatly　at　seeing　those
of　us　who　had　escaped　death；　but　wept　for　the　others　whom　the
Cyclops　had　killed。　However；　I　made　signs　to　them　by　nodding　and
frowning　that　they　were　to　hush　their　crying；　and　told　them　to　get　all
the　sheep　on　board　at　once　and　put　out　to　sea；　so　they　went　aboard；
took　their　places；　and　smote　the　grey　sea　with　their　oars。　Then；
when　I　had　got　as　far　out　as　my　voice　would　reach；　I　began　to　jeer
at　the　Cyclops。
　　〃'Cyclops；'　said　I；　'you　should　have　taken　better　measure　of　your
man　before　eating　up　his　comrades　in　your　cave。　You　wretch；　eat　up
your　visitors　in　your　own　house？　You　might　have　known　that　your　sin
would　find　you　out；　and　now　Jove　and　the　other　gods　have　punished
you。'
　　〃He　got　more　and　more　furious　as　he　heard　me；　so　he　tore　the　top
from　off　a　high　mountain；　and　flung　it　just　in　front　of　my　ship　so
that　it　was　within　a　little　of　hitting　the　end　of　the　rudder。　The
sea　quaked　as　the　rock　fell　into　it；　and　the　wash　of　the　wave　it
raised　carried　us　back　towards　the　mainland；　and　forced　us　towards　the
shore。　But　I　snatched　up　a　long　pole　and　kept　the　ship　off；　making
signs　to　my　men　by　nodding　my　head；　that　they　must　row　for　their
lives；　whereon　they　laid　out　with　a　will。　When　we　had　got　twice　as　far
as　we　were　before；　I　was　for　jeering　at　the　Cyclops　again；　but　the　men
begged　and　prayed　of　me　to　hold　my　tongue。
　　〃'Do　not；'　they　exclaimed；　'be　mad　enough　to　provoke　this　savage
creature　further；　he　has　thrown　one　rock　at　us　already　which　drove
us　back　again　to　the　mainland；　and　we　made　sure　it　had　been　the
death　of　us；　if　he　had　then　heard　any　further　sound　of　voices　he　would
have　pounded　our　heads　and　our　ship's　timbers　into　a　jelly　with　the
rugged　roc