the odyssey(奥德赛)-第3章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


song　from　her　room　upstairs；　and　came　down　by　the　great　staircase；　not
alone；　but　attended　by　two　of　her　handmaids。　When　she　reached　the
suitors　she　stood　by　one　of　the　bearing　posts　that　supported　the
roof　of　the　cloisters　with　a　staid　maiden　on　either　side　of　her。　She
held　a　veil；　moreover；　before　her　face；　and　was　weeping　bitterly。
　　〃Phemius；〃　she　cried；　〃you　know　many　another　feat　of　gods　and
heroes；　such　as　poets　love　to　celebrate。　Sing　the　suitors　some　one
of　these；　and　let　them　drink　their　wine　in　silence；　but　cease　this　sad
tale；　for　it　breaks　my　sorrowful　heart；　and　reminds　me　of　my　lost
husband　whom　I　mourn　ever　without　ceasing；　and　whose　name　was　great
over　all　Hellas　and　middle　Argos。〃
　　〃Mother；〃　answered　Telemachus；　〃let　the　bard　sing　what　he　has　a　mind
to；　bards　do　not　make　the　ills　they　sing　of；　it　is　Jove；　not　they；　who
makes　them；　and　who　sends　weal　or　woe　upon　mankind　according　to　his
own　good　pleasure。　This　fellow　means　no　harm　by　singing　the
ill…fated　return　of　the　Danaans；　for　people　always　applaud　the
latest　songs　most　warmly。　Make　up　your　mind　to　it　and　bear　it；　Ulysses
is　not　the　only　man　who　never　came　back　from　Troy；　but　many　another
went　down　as　well　as　he。　Go；　then；　within　the　house　and　busy
yourself　with　your　daily　duties；　your　loom；　your　distaff；　and　the
ordering　of　your　servants；　for　speech　is　man's　matter；　and　mine
above　all　others…　for　it　is　I　who　am　master　here。〃
　　She　went　wondering　back　into　the　house；　and　laid　her　son's　saying　in
her　heart。　Then；　going　upstairs　with　her　handmaids　into　her　room；
she　mourned　her　dear　husband　till　Minerva　shed　sweet　sleep　over　her
eyes。　But　the　suitors　were　clamorous　throughout　the　covered　cloisters；
and　prayed　each　one　that　he　might　be　her　bed　fellow。
　　Then　Telemachus　spoke；　〃Shameless；〃　he　cried；　〃and　insolent　suitors；
let　us　feast　at　our　pleasure　now；　and　let　there　be　no　brawling；　for　it
is　a　rare　thing　to　hear　a　man　with　such　a　divine　voice　as　Phemius　has；
but　in　the　morning　meet　me　in　full　assembly　that　I　may　give　you　formal
notice　to　depart；　and　feast　at　one　another's　houses；　turn　and　turn
about；　at　your　own　cost。　If　on　the　other　hand　you　choose　to　persist　in
spunging　upon　one　man；　heaven　help　me；　but　Jove　shall　reckon　with
you　in　full；　and　when　you　fall　in　my　father's　house　there　shall　be
no　man　to　avenge　you。〃
　　The　suitors　bit　their　lips　as　they　heard　him；　and　marvelled　at　the
boldness　of　his　speech。　Then；　Antinous；　son　of　Eupeithes；　said；　〃The
gods　seem　to　have　given　you　lessons　in　bluster　and　tall　talking；　may
Jove　never　grant　you　to　be　chief　in　Ithaca　as　your　father　was　before
you。〃
　　Telemachus　answered；　〃Antinous；　do　not　chide　with　me；　but；　god
willing；　I　will　be　chief　too　if　I　can。　Is　this　the　worst　fate　you
can　think　of　for　me？　It　is　no　bad　thing　to　be　a　chief；　for　it　brings
both　riches　and　honour。　Still；　now　that　Ulysses　is　dead　there　are　many
great　men　in　Ithaca　both　old　and　young；　and　some　other　may　take　the
lead　among　them；　nevertheless　I　will　be　chief　in　my　own　house；　and
will　rule　those　whom　Ulysses　has　won　for　me。〃
　　Then　Eurymachus；　son　of　Polybus；　answered；　〃It　rests　with　heaven
to　decide　who　shall　be　chief　among　us；　but　you　shall　be　master　in　your
own　house　and　over　your　own　possessions；　no　one　while　there　is　a　man
in　Ithaca　shall　do　you　violence　nor　rob　you。　And　now；　my　good
fellow；　I　want　to　know　about　this　stranger。　What　country　does　he
come　from？　Of　what　family　is　he；　and　where　is　his　estate？　Has　he
brought　you　news　about　the　return　of　your　father；　or　was　he　on
business　of　his　own？　He　seemed　a　well…to…do　man；　but　he　hurried　off　so
suddenly　that　he　was　gone　in　a　moment　before　we　could　get　to　know
him。〃
　　〃My　father　is　dead　and　gone；〃　answered　Telemachus；　〃and　even　if　some
rumour　reaches　me　I　put　no　more　faith　in　it　now。　My　mother　does　indeed
sometimes　send　for　a　soothsayer　and　question　him；　but　I　give　his
prophecyings　no　heed。　As　for　the　stranger；　he　was　Mentes；　son　of
Anchialus；　chief　of　the　Taphians；　an　old　friend　of　my　father's。〃　But
in　his　heart　he　knew　that　it　had　been　the　goddess。
　　The　suitors　then　returned　to　their　singing　and　dancing　until　the
evening；　but　when　night　fell　upon　their　pleasuring　they　went　home　to
bed　each　in　his　own　abode。　Telemachus's　room　was　high　up　in　a　tower
that　looked　on　to　the　outer　court；　hither；　then；　he　hied；　brooding　and
full　of　thought。　A　good　old　woman；　Euryclea；　daughter　of　Ops；　the
son　of　Pisenor；　went　before　him　with　a　couple　of　blazing　torches。
Laertes　had　bought　her　with　his　own　money　when　she　was　quite　young；　he
gave　the　worth　of　twenty　oxen　for　her；　and　shewed　as　much　respect　to
her　in　his　household　as　he　did　to　his　own　wedded　wife；　but　he　did
not　take　her　to　his　bed　for　he　feared　his　wife's　resentment。　She　it
was　who　now　lighted　Telemachus　to　his　room；　and　she　loved　him　better
than　any　of　the　other　women　in　the　house　did；　for　she　had　nursed　him
when　he　was　a　baby。　He　opened　the　door　of　his　bed　room　and　sat　down
upon　the　bed；　as　he　took　off　his　shirt　he　gave　it　to　the　good　old
woman；　who　folded　it　tidily　up；　and　hung　it　for　him　over　a　peg　by
his　bed　side；　after　which　she　went　out；　pulled　the　door　to　by　a　silver
catch；　and　drew　the　bolt　home　by　means　of　the　strap。　But　Telemachus　as
he　lay　covered　with　a　woollen　fleece　kept　thinking　all　night　through
of　his　intended　voyage　of　the　counsel　that　Minerva　had　given　him。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　BOOK　II。
　　NOW　when　the　child　of　morning；　rosy…fingered　Dawn；　appeared；
Telemachus　rose　and　dressed　himself。　He　bound　his　sandals　on　to　his
comely　feet；　girded　his　sword　about　his　shoulder；　and　left　his　room
looking　like　an　immortal　god。　He　at　once　sent　the　criers　round　to　call
the　people　in　assembly；　so　they　called　them　and　the　people　gathered
thereon；　then；　when　they　were　got　together；　he　went　to　the　place　of
assembly　spear　in　hand…　not　alone；　for　his　two　hounds　went　with　him。
Minerva　endowed　him　with　a　presence　of　such　divine　comeliness　that　all
marvelled　at　him　as　he　went　by；　and　when　he　took　his　place'　in　his
father's　seat　even　the　oldest　councillors　made　way　for　him。
　　Aegyptius；　a　man　bent　double　with　age；　and　of　infinite　experience；
the　first　to　speak　His　son　Antiphus　had　gone　with　Ulysses　to　Ilius；
land　of　noble　steeds；　but　the　savage　Cyclops　had　killed　him　when
they　were　all　shut　up　in　the　cave；　and　had　cooked　his　last　dinner
for　him；　He　had　three　sons　left；　of　whom　two　still　worked　on　their
father's　land；　while　the　third；　Eurynomus；　was　one　of　the　suitors；
nevertheless　their　father　could　not　get　over　the　loss　of　Antiphus；　and
was　still　weeping　for　him　when　he　began　his　speech。
　　〃Men　of　Ithaca；〃　he　said；　〃hear　my　words。　From　the　day　Ulysses
left　us　there　has　been　no　meeting　of　our　councillors　until　now；　who
then　can　it　be；　whether　old　or　young；　that　finds　it　so　necessary　to
convene　us？　Has　he　got　wind　of　some　host　approaching；　and　does　he　wish
to　warn　us；　or　would　he　speak　upon　some　other　matter　of　public　moment？
I　am　sure　he　is　an　excellent　person；　and　I　hope　Jove　will　grant　him
his　heart's　desire。〃
　　Telemachus　took　this　speech　as　of　good　omen　and　rose　at　once；　for　he
was　bursting　with　what　he　had　to　say。　He　stood　in　the　middle　of　the
assembly　and　the　good　herald　Pisenor　brought　him　his　staff。　Then；
turning　to　Aegyptius；　〃Sir；〃　said　he；　〃it　is　I；　as　you　will　shortly
learn；　who　have　convened　you；　for　it　is　I　who　am　the　most　aggrieved。　I
have　not　got　wind　of　any　host　approaching　about　which　I　would　warn
you；　nor　is　there　any　matter　of　public　moment　on　which　I　would
speak。　My　grieveance　is　purely　personal；　and　turns　on　two　great
misfortunes　which　have　fallen　upon　my　house。　The　first　of　these　is　the
loss　of　my　excellent　father；　who　was　chief　among　all　you　here　present；
and　was　like　a　father　to　every　one　of　you；　the　second　is　much　more
serious；　and　ere　long　will　be　the　utter　ruin　of　my　estate。　The　sons　of
all　the　chief　men　among　you　are　pestering　my　mother　to　marry　them
against　her　will。　They　are　afraid　to　go　to　her　father　Icarius；
asking　him　to　choose　the　one　he　likes　best；　and　to　provide　marriage
gifts　for　his　daughter；　but　day　by　day　they　keep　hanging　about　my
father's　house；　sacrificing　our　oxen；　sheep；　and　fat　goats　for　th