the odyssey(奥德赛)-第31章

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place　that　could　be　seen　from　far。　There　we　found　a　woman；　or　else　she
was　a　goddess；　working　at　her　loom　and　singing　sweetly；　so　the　men
shouted　to　her　and　called　her；　whereon　she　at　once　came　down；　opened
the　door；　and　invited　us　in。　The　others　did　not　suspect　any　mischief
so　they　followed　her　into　the　house；　but　I　stayed　where　I　was；　for　I
thought　there　might　be　some　treachery。　From　that　moment　I　saw　them
no　more；　for　not　one　of　them　ever　came　out；　though　I　sat　a　long　time
watching　for　them。'
　　〃Then　I　took　my　sword　of　bronze　and　slung　it　over　my　shoulders；　I
also　took　my　bow；　and　told　Eurylochus　to　come　back　with　me　and　show　me
the　way。　But　he　laid　hold　of　me　with　both　his　hands　and　spoke
piteously；　saying；　'Sir；　do　not　force　me　to　go　with　you；　but　let　me
stay　here；　for　I　know　you　will　not　bring　one　of　them　back　with　you；
nor　even　return　alive　yourself；　let　us　rather　see　if　we　cannot
escape　at　any　rate　with　the　few　that　are　left　us；　for　we　may　still
save　our　lives。'
　　〃'Stay　where　you　are；　then；　'answered　I；　'eating　and　drinking　at　the
ship；　but　I　must　go；　for　I　am　most　urgently　bound　to　do　so。'
　　〃With　this　I　left　the　ship　and　went　up　inland。　When　I　got　through
the　charmed　grove；　and　was　near　the　great　house　of　the　enchantress
Circe；　I　met　Mercury　with　his　golden　wand；　disguised　as　a　young　man　in
the　hey…day　of　his　youth　and　beauty　with　the　down　just　coming　upon　his
face。　He　came　up　to　me　and　took　my　hand　within　his　own；　saying；　'My
poor　unhappy　man；　whither　are　you　going　over　this　mountain　top；
alone　and　without　knowing　the　way？　Your　men　are　shut　up　in　Circe's
pigsties；　like　so　many　wild　boars　in　their　lairs。　You　surely　do　not
fancy　that　you　can　set　them　free？　I　can　tell　you　that　you　will　never
get　back　and　will　have　to　stay　there　with　the　rest　of　them。　But
never　mind；　I　will　protect　you　and　get　you　out　of　your　difficulty。
Take　this　herb；　which　is　one　of　great　virtue；　and　keep　it　about　you
when　you　go　to　Circe's　house；　it　will　be　a　talisman　to　you　against
every　kind　of　mischief。
　　〃'And　I　will　tell　you　of　all　the　wicked　witchcraft　that　Circe　will
try　to　practise　upon　you。　She　will　mix　a　mess　for　you　to　drink；　and
she　will　drug　the　meal　with　which　she　makes　it；　but　she　will　not　be
able　to　charm　you；　for　the　virtue　of　the　herb　that　I　shall　give　you
will　prevent　her　spells　from　working。　I　will　tell　you　all　about　it。
When　Circe　strikes　you　with　her　wand；　draw　your　sword　and　spring
upon　her　as　though　you　were　goings　to　kill　her。　She　will　then　be
frightened　and　will　desire　you　to　go　to　bed　with　her；　on　this　you　must
not　point　blank　refuse　her；　for　you　want　her　to　set　your　companions
free；　and　to　take　good　care　also　of　yourself；　but　you　make　her　swear
solemnly　by　all　the　blessed　that　she　will　plot　no　further　mischief
against　you；　or　else　when　she　has　got　you　naked　she　will　unman　you　and
make　you　fit　for　nothing。'
　　〃As　he　spoke　he　pulled　the　herb　out　of　the　ground　an　showed　me
what　it　was　like。　The　root　was　black；　while　the　flower　was　as　white　as
milk；　the　gods　call　it　Moly；　and　mortal　men　cannot　uproot　it；　but
the　gods　can　do　whatever　they　like。
　　〃Then　Mercury　went　back　to　high　Olympus　passing　over　the　wooded
island；　but　I　fared　onward　to　the　house　of　Circe；　and　my　heart　was
clouded　with　care　as　I　walked　along。　When　I　got　to　the　gates　I　stood
there　and　called　the　goddess；　and　as　soon　as　she　heard　me　she　came
down；　opened　the　door；　and　asked　me　to　come　in；　so　I　followed　her…
much　troubled　in　my　mind。　She　set　me　on　a　richly　decorated　seat　inlaid
with　silver；　there　was　a　footstool　also　under　my　feet；　and　she　mixed　a
mess　in　a　golden　goblet　for　me　to　drink；　but　she　drugged　it；　for　she
meant　me　mischief。　When　she　had　given　it　me；　and　I　had　drunk　it
without　its　charming　me；　she　struck　she；　struck　me　with　her　wand。
'There　now；'　she　cried；　'be　off　to　the　pigsty；　and　make　your　lair　with
the　rest　of　them。'
　　〃But　I　rushed　at　her　with　my　sword　drawn　as　though　I　would　kill　her；
whereon　she　fell　with　a　loud　scream；　clasped　my　knees；　and　spoke
piteously；　saying；　'Who　and　whence　are　you？　from　what　place　and　people
have　you　come？　How　can　it　be　that　my　drugs　have　no　power　to　charm　you？
Never　yet　was　any　man　able　to　stand　so　much　as　a　taste　of　the　herb　I
gave　you；　you　must　be　spell…proof；　surely　you　can　be　none　other　than
the　bold　hero　Ulysses；　who　Mercury　always　said　would　come　here　some
day　with　his　ship　while　on　his　way　home　form　Troy；　so　be　it　then；
sheathe　your　sword　and　let　us　go　to　bed；　that　we　may　make　friends
and　learn　to　trust　each　other。'
　　〃And　I　answered；　'Circe；　how　can　you　expect　me　to　be　friendly　with
you　when　you　have　just　been　turning　all　my　men　into　pigs？　And　now　that
you　have　got　me　here　myself；　you　mean　me　mischief　when　you　ask　me　to
go　to　bed　with　you；　and　will　unman　me　and　make　me　fit　for　nothing。　I
shall　certainly　not　consent　to　go　to　bed　with　you　unless　you　will
first　take　your　solemn　oath　to　plot　no　further　harm　against　me。'
　　〃So　she　swore　at　once　as　I　had　told　her；　and　when　she　had
completed　her　oath　then　I　went　to　bed　with　her。
　　〃Meanwhile　her　four　servants；　who　are　her　housemaids；　set　about
their　work。　They　are　the　children　of　the　groves　and　fountains；　and
of　the　holy　waters　that　run　down　into　the　sea。　One　of　them　spread　a
fair　purple　cloth　over　a　seat；　and　laid　a　carpet　underneath　it。
Another　brought　tables　of　silver　up　to　the　seats；　and　set　them　with
baskets　of　gold。　A　third　mixed　some　sweet　wine　with　water　in　a
silver　bowl　and　put　golden　cups　upon　the　tables；　while　the　fourth
she　brought　in　water　and　set　it　to　boil　in　a　large　cauldron　over　a
good　fire　which　she　had　lighted。　When　the　water　in　the　cauldron　was
boiling；　she　poured　cold　into　it　till　it　was　just　as　I　liked　it；　and
then　she　set　me　in　a　bath　and　began　washing　me　from　the　cauldron　about
the　head　and　shoulders；　to　take　the　tire　and　stiffness　out　of　my
limbs。　As　soon　as　she　had　done　washing　me　and　anointing　me　with　oil；
she　arrayed　me　in　a　good　cloak　and　shirt　and　led　me　to　a　richly
decorated　seat　inlaid　with　silver；　there　was　a　footstool　also　under　my
feet。　A　maid　servant　then　brought　me　water　in　a　beautiful　golden
ewer　and　poured　it　into　a　silver　basin　for　me　to　wash　my　hands；　and
she　drew　a　clean　table　beside　me；　an　upper　servant　brought　me　bread
and　offered　me　many　things　of　what　there　was　in　the　house；　and　then
Circe　bade　me　eat；　but　I　would　not；　and　sat　without　heeding　what　was
before　me；　still　moody　and　suspicious。
　　〃When　Circe　saw　me　sitting　there　without　eating；　and　in　great　grief；
she　came　to　me　and　said；　'Ulysses；　why　do　you　sit　like　that　as
though　you　were　dumb；　gnawing　at　your　own　heart；　and　refusing　both
meat　and　drink？　Is　it　that　you　are　still　suspicious？　You　ought　not
to　be；　for　I　have　already　sworn　solemnly　that　I　will　not　hurt　you。'
　　〃And　I　said；　'Circe；　no　man　with　any　sense　of　what　is　right　can
think　of　either　eating　or　drinking　in　your　house　until　you　have　set
his　friends　free　and　let　him　see　them。　If　you　want　me　to　eat　and
drink；　you　must　free　my　men　and　bring　them　to　me　that　I　may　see　them
with　my　own　eyes。'
　　〃When　I　had　said　this　she　went　straight　through　the　court　with　her
wand　in　her　hand　and　opened　the　pigsty　doors。　My　men　came　out　like
so　many　prime　hogs　and　stood　looking　at　her；　but　she　went　about
among　them　and　anointed　each　with　a　second　drug；　whereon　the
bristles　that　the　bad　drug　had　given　them　fell　off；　and　they　became
men　again；　younger　than　they　were　before；　and　much　taller　and　better
looking。　They　knew　me　at　once；　seized　me　each　of　them　by　the　hand；　and
wept　for　joy　till　the　whole　house　was　filled　with　the　sound　of　their
hullabalooing；　and　Circe　herself　was　so　sorry　for　them　that　she　came
up　to　me　and　said；　'Ulysses；　noble　son　of　Laertes；　go　back　at　once
to　the　sea　where　you　have　left　your　ship；　and　first　draw　it　on　to
the　land。　Then；　hide　all　your　ship's　gear　and　property　in　some　cave；
and　come　back　here　with　your　men。'
　　〃I　agreed　to　this；　so　I　went　back　to　the　sea　shore；　and　found　the
men　at　the　ship　weeping　and　wailing　most　piteously。　When　they　saw　me
the　silly　blubbering　fellows　began　frisking　round　me　as　calves　break
out　and　gambol　round　their　mothers；　when　they　see　them　coming　home
to　be　mi