the odyssey(奥德赛)-第38章

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in　my　strong　hands　till　it　became　soft；　which　it　soon　did　between
the　kneading　and　the　rays　of　the　sun…god　son　of　Hyperion。　Then　I
stopped　the　ears　of　all　my　men；　and　they　bound　me　hands　and　feet　to
the　mast　as　I　stood　upright　on　the　crosspiece；　but　they　went　on　rowing
themselves。　When　we　had　got　within　earshot　of　the　land；　and　the　ship
was　going　at　a　good　rate；　the　Sirens　saw　that　we　were　getting　in　shore
and　began　with　their　singing。
　　〃'Come　here；'　they　sang；　'renowned　Ulysses；　honour　to　the　Achaean
name；　and　listen　to　our　two　voices。　No　one　ever　sailed　past　us　without
staying　to　hear　the　enchanting　sweetness　of　our　song…　and　he　who
listens　will　go　on　his　way　not　only　charmed；　but　wiser；　for　we　know
all　the　ills　that　the　gods　laid　upon　the　Argives　and　Trojans　before
Troy；　and　can　tell　you　everything　that　is　going　to　happen　over　the
whole　world。'
　　〃They　sang　these　words　most　musically；　and　as　I　longed　to　hear
them　further　I　made　by　frowning　to　my　men　that　they　should　set　me
free；　but　they　quickened　their　stroke；　and　Eurylochus　and　Perimedes
bound　me　with　still　stronger　bonds　till　we　had　got　out　of　hearing　of
the　Sirens'　voices。　Then　my　men　took　the　wax　from　their　ears　and
unbound　me。
　　〃Immediately　after　we　had　got　past　the　island　I　saw　a　great　wave
from　which　spray　was　rising；　and　I　heard　a　loud　roaring　sound。　The　men
were　so　frightened　that　they　loosed　hold　of　their　oars；　for　the
whole　sea　resounded　with　the　rushing　of　the　waters；　but　the　ship
stayed　where　it　was；　for　the　men　had　left　off　rowing。　I　went　round；
therefore；　and　exhorted　them　man　by　man　not　to　lose　heart。
　　〃'My　friends；'　said　I；　'this　is　not　the　first　time　that　we　have　been
in　danger；　and　we　are　in　nothing　like　so　bad　a　case　as　when　the
Cyclops　shut　us　up　in　his　cave；　nevertheless；　my　courage　and　wise
counsel　saved　us　then；　and　we　shall　live　to　look　back　on　all　this　as
well。　Now；　therefore；　let　us　all　do　as　I　say；　trust　in　Jove　and　row　on
with　might　and　main。　As　for　you；　coxswain；　these　are　your　orders；
attend　to　them；　for　the　ship　is　in　your　hands；　turn　her　head　away　from
these　steaming　rapids　and　hug　the　rock；　or　she　will　give　you　the
slip　and　be　over　yonder　before　you　know　where　you　are；　and　you　will　be
the　death　of　us。'
　　〃So　they　did　as　I　told　them；　but　I　said　nothing　about　the　awful
monster　Scylla；　for　I　knew　the　men　would　not　on　rowing　if　I　did；　but
would　huddle　together　in　the　hold。　In　one　thing　only　did　I　disobey
Circe's　strict　instructions…　I　put　on　my　armour。　Then　seizing　two
strong　spears　I　took　my　stand　on　the　ship　Is　bows；　for　it　was　there
that　I　expected　first　to　see　the　monster　of　the　rock；　who　was　to　do　my
men　so　much　harm；　but　I　could　not　make　her　out　anywhere；　though　I
strained　my　eyes　with　looking　the　gloomy　rock　all　over　and　over
　　〃Then　we　entered　the　Straits　in　great　fear　of　mind；　for　on　the　one
hand　was　Scylla；　and　on　the　other　dread　Charybdis　kept　sucking　up
the　salt　water。　As　she　vomited　it　up；　it　was　like　the　water　in　a
cauldron　when　it　is　boiling　over　upon　a　great　fire；　and　the　spray
reached　the　top　of　the　rocks　on　either　side。　When　she　began　to　suck
again；　we　could　see　the　water　all　inside　whirling　round　and　round；　and
it　made　a　deafening　sound　as　it　broke　against　the　rocks。　We　could
see　the　bottom　of　the　whirlpool　all　black　with　sand　and　mud；　and　the
men　were　at　their　wit's　ends　for　fear。　While　we　were　taken　up　with
this；　and　were　expecting　each　moment　to　be　our　last；　Scylla　pounced
down　suddenly　upon　us　and　snatched　up　my　six　best　men。　I　was　looking
at　once　after　both　ship　and　men；　and　in　a　moment　I　saw　their　hands　and
feet　ever　so　high　above　me；　struggling　in　the　air　as　Scylla　was
carrying　them　off；　and　I　heard　them　call　out　my　name　in　one　last
despairing　cry。　As　a　fisherman；　seated；　spear　in　hand；　upon　some
jutting　rock　throws　bait　into　the　water　to　deceive　the　poor　little
fishes；　and　spears　them　with　the　ox's　horn　with　which　his　spear　is
shod；　throwing　them　gasping　on　to　the　land　as　he　catches　them　one　by
one…　even　so　did　Scylla　land　these　panting　creatures　on　her　rock　and
munch　them　up　at　the　mouth　of　her　den；　while　they　screamed　and
stretched　out　their　hands　to　me　in　their　mortal　agony。　This　was　the
most　sickening　sight　that　I　saw　throughout　all　my　voyages。
　　〃When　we　had　passed　the　＇Wandering＇　rocks；　with　Scylla　and
terrible　Charybdis；　we　reached　the　noble　island　of　the　sun…god；
where　were　the　goodly　cattle　and　sheep　belonging　to　the　sun
Hyperion。　While　still　at　sea　in　my　ship　I　could　bear　the　cattle　lowing
as　they　came　home　to　the　yards；　and　the　sheep　bleating。　Then　I
remembered　what　the　blind　Theban　prophet　Teiresias　had　told　me；　and
how　carefully　Aeaean　Circe　had　warned　me　to　shun　the　island　of　the
blessed　sun…god。　So　being　much　troubled　I　said　to　the　men；　'My　men；
I　know　you　are　hard　pressed；　but　listen　while　I　tell　you　the
prophecy　that　Teiresias　made　me；　and　how　carefully　Aeaean　Circe　warned
me　to　shun　the　island　of　the　blessed　sun…god；　for　it　was　here；　she
said；　that　our　worst　danger　would　lie。　Head　the　ship；　therefore；
away　from　the　island。'
　　〃The　men　were　in　despair　at　this；　and　Eurylochus　at　once　gave　me
an　insolent　answer。　'Ulysses；'　said　he；　'you　are　cruel；　you　are　very
strong　yourself　and　never　get　worn　out；　you　seem　to　be　made　of　iron；
and　now；　though　your　men　are　exhausted　with　toil　and　want　of　sleep；
you　will　not　let　them　land　and　cook　themselves　a　good　supper　upon　this
island；　but　bid　them　put　out　to　sea　and　go　faring　fruitlessly　on
through　the　watches　of　the　flying　night。　It　is　by　night　that　the　winds
blow　hardest　and　do　so　much　damage；　how　can　we　escape　should　one　of
those　sudden　squalls　spring　up　from　South　West　or　West；　which　so　often
wreck　a　vessel　when　our　lords　the　gods　are　unpropitious？　Now；
therefore；　let　us　obey　the　of　night　and　prepare　our　supper　here　hard
by　the　ship；　to…morrow　morning　we　will　go　on　board　again　and　put　out
to　sea。'
　　〃Thus　spoke　Eurylochus；　and　the　men　approved　his　words。　I　saw　that
heaven　meant　us　a　mischief　and　said；　'You　force　me　to　yield；　for　you
are　many　against　one；　but　at　any　rate　each　one　of　you　must　take　his
solemn　oath　that　if　he　meet　with　a　herd　of　cattle　or　a　large　flock
of　sheep；　he　will　not　be　so　mad　as　to　kill　a　single　head　of　either；
but　will　be　satisfied　with　the　food　that　Circe　has　given　us。'
　　〃They　all　swore　as　I　bade　them；　and　when　they　had　completed　their
oath　we　made　the　ship　fast　in　a　harbour　that　was　near　a　stream　of
fresh　water；　and　the　men　went　ashore　and　cooked　their　suppers。　As　soon
as　they　had　had　enough　to　eat　and　drink；　they　began　talking　about
their　poor　comrades　whom　Scylla　had　snatched　up　and　eaten；　this　set
them　weeping　and　they　went　on　crying　till　they　fell　off　into　a　sound
sleep。
　　〃In　the　third　watch　of　the　night　when　the　stars　had　shifted　their
places；　Jove　raised　a　great　gale　of　wind　that　flew　a　hurricane　so　that
land　and　sea　were　covered　with　thick　clouds；　and　night　sprang　forth
out　of　the　heavens。　When　the　child　of　morning；　rosy…fingered　Dawn；
appeared；　we　brought　the　ship　to　land　and　drew　her　into　a　cave　wherein
the　sea…nymphs　hold　their　courts　and　dances；　and　I　called　the　men
together　in　council。
　　〃'My　friends；'　said　I；　'we　have　meat　and　drink　in　the　ship；　let　us
mind；　therefore；　and　not　touch　the　cattle；　or　we　shall　suffer　for
it；　for　these　cattle　and　sheep　belong　to　the　mighty　sun；　who　sees
and　gives　ear　to　everything。　And　again　they　promised　that　they　would
obey。
　　〃For　a　whole　month　the　wind　blew　steadily　from　the　South；　and
there　was　no　other　wind；　but　only　South　and　East。　As　long　as　corn
and　wine　held　out　the　men　did　not　touch　the　cattle　when　they　were
hungry；　when；　however；　they　had　eaten　all　there　was　in　the　ship；
they　were　forced　to　go　further　afield；　with　hook　and　line；　catching
birds；　and　taking　whatever　they　could　lay　their　hands　on；　for　they
were　starving。　One　day；　therefore；　I　went　up　inland　that　I　might
pray　heaven　to　show　me　some　means　of　getting　away。　When　I　had　gone　far
enough　to　be　clear　of　all　my　men；　and　had　found　a　place　that　was
well　sheltered　from　the　wind；　I　washed　my　hands　and　prayed　to　all
the　gods　in　Olympus　till　by　and　by　they　sent　me　off　into　a　sweet
sleep。
　　〃Meanwhile　Eurylochus　h