the odyssey(奥德赛)-第39章

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the　gods　in　Olympus　till　by　and　by　they　sent　me　off　into　a　sweet
sleep。
　　〃Meanwhile　Eurylochus　had　been　giving　evil　counsel　to　the　men；
'Listen　to　me；'　said　he；　'my　poor　comrades。　All　deaths　are　bad
enough　but　there　is　none　so　bad　as　famine。　Why　should　not　we　drive
in　the　best　of　these　cows　and　offer　them　in　sacrifice　to　the
immortal　Rods？　If　we　ever　get　back　to　Ithaca；　we　can　build　a　fine
temple　to　the　sun…god　and　enrich　it　with　every　kind　of　ornament；　if；
however；　he　is　determined　to　sink　our　ship　out　of　revenge　for　these
homed　cattle；　and　the　other　gods　are　of　the　same　mind；　I　for　one　would
rather　drink　salt　water　once　for　all　and　have　done　with　it；　than　be
starved　to　death　by　inches　in　such　a　desert　island　as　this　is。'
　　〃Thus　spoke　Eurylochus；　and　the　men　approved　his　words。　Now　the
cattle；　so　fair　and　goodly；　were　feeding　not　far　from　the　ship；　the
men；　therefore　drove　in　the　best　of　them；　and　they　all　stood　round
them　saying　their　prayers；　and　using　young　oak…shoots　instead　of
barley…meal；　for　there　was　no　barley　left。　When　they　had　done
praying　they　killed　the　cows　and　dressed　their　carcasses；　they　cut　out
the　thigh　bones；　wrapped　them　round　in　two　layers　of　fat；　and　set　some
pieces　of　raw　meat　on　top　of　them。　They　had　no　wine　with　which　to　make
drink…offerings　over　the　sacrifice　while　it　was　cooking；　so　they
kept　pouring　on　a　little　water　from　time　to　time　while　the　inward
meats　were　being　grilled；　then；　when　the　thigh　bones　were　burned　and
they　had　tasted　the　inward　meats；　they　cut　the　rest　up　small　and　put
the　pieces　upon　the　spits。
　　〃By　this　time　my　deep　sleep　had　left　me；　and　I　turned　back　to　the
ship　and　to　the　sea　shore。　As　I　drew　near　I　began　to　smell　hot　roast
meat；　so　I　groaned　out　a　prayer　to　the　immortal　gods。　'Father　Jove；'　I
exclaimed；　'and　all　you　other　gods　who　live　in　everlasting　bliss；
you　have　done　me　a　cruel　mischief　by　the　sleep　into　which　you　have
sent　me；　see　what　fine　work　these　men　of　mine　have　been　making　in　my
absence。'
　　〃Meanwhile　Lampetie　went　straight　off　to　the　sun　and　told　him　we　had
been　killing　his　cows；　whereon　he　flew　into　a　great　rage；　and　said
to　the　immortals；　'Father　Jove；　and　all　you　other　gods　who　live　in
everlasting　bliss；　I　must　have　vengeance　on　the　crew　of　Ulysses'　ship：
they　have　had　the　insolence　to　kill　my　cows；　which　were　the　one
thing　I　loved　to　look　upon；　whether　I　was　going　up　heaven　or　down
again。　If　they　do　not　square　accounts　with　me　about　my　cows；　I　will　go
down　to　Hades　and　shine　there　among　the　dead。'
　　〃'Sun；'　said　Jove；　'go　on　shining　upon　us　gods　and　upon　mankind　over
the　fruitful　earth。　I　will　shiver　their　ship　into　little　pieces　with　a
bolt　of　white　lightning　as　soon　as　they　get　out　to　sea。'
　　〃I　was　told　all　this　by　Calypso；　who　said　she　had　heard　it　from
the　mouth　of　Mercury。
　　〃As　soon　as　I　got　down　to　my　ship　and　to　the　sea　shore　I　rebuked
each　one　of　the　men　separately；　but　we　could　see　no　way　out　of　it；　for
the　cows　were　dead　already。　And　indeed　the　gods　began　at　once　to
show　signs　and　wonders　among　us；　for　the　hides　of　the　cattle　crawled
about；　and　the　joints　upon　the　spits　began　to　low　like　cows；　and　the
meat；　whether　cooked　or　raw；　kept　on　making　a　noise　just　as　cows　do。
　　〃For　six　days　my　men　kept　driving　in　the　best　cows　and　feasting　upon
them；　but　when　Jove　the　son　of　Saturn　had　added　a　seventh　day；　the
fury　of　the　gale　abated；　we　therefore　went　on　board；　raised　our　masts；
spread　sail；　and　put　out　to　sea。　As　soon　as　we　were　well　away　from　the
island；　and　could　see　nothing　but　sky　and　sea；　the　son　of　Saturn
raised　a　black　cloud　over　our　ship；　and　the　sea　grew　dark　beneath
it。　We　not　get　on　much　further；　for　in　another　moment　we　were　caught
by　a　terrific　squall　from　the　West　that　snapped　the　forestays　of　the
mast　so　that　it　fell　aft；　while　all　the　ship's　gear　tumbled　about　at
the　bottom　of　the　vessel。　The　mast　fell　upon　the　head　of　the
helmsman　in　the　ship's　stern；　so　that　the　bones　of　his　head　were
crushed　to　pieces；　and　he　fell　overboard　as　though　he　were　diving；
with　no　more　life　left　in　him。
　　〃Then　Jove　let　fly　with　his　thunderbolts；　and　the　ship　went　round
and　round；　and　was　filled　with　fire　and　brimstone　as　the　lightning
struck　it。　The　men　all　fell　into　the　sea；　they　were　carried　about　in
the　water　round　the　ship；　looking　like　so　many　sea…gulls；　but　the
god　presently　deprived　them　of　all　chance　of　getting　home　again。
　　〃I　stuck　to　the　ship　till　the　sea　knocked　her　sides　from　her　keel
（which　drifted　about　by　itself）　and　struck　the　mast　out　of　her　in
the　direction　of　the　keel；　but　there　was　a　backstay　of　stout
ox…thong　still　hanging　about　it；　and　with　this　I　lashed　the　mast　and
keel　together；　and　getting　astride　of　them　was　carried　wherever　the
winds　chose　to　take　me。
　　〃＇The　gale　from　the　West　had　now　spent　its　force；　and　the　wind　got
into　the　South　again；　which　frightened　me　lest　I　should　be　taken
back　to　the　terrible　whirlpool　of　Charybdis。　This　indeed　was　what
actually　happened；　for　I　was　borne　along　by　the　waves　all　night；　and
by　sunrise　had　reacfied　the　rock　of　Scylla；　and　the　whirlpool。　She　was
then　sucking　down　the　salt　sea　water；　but　I　was　carried　aloft　toward
the　fig　tree；　which　I　caught　hold　of　and　clung　on　to　like　a　bat。　I
could　not　plant　my　feet　anywhere　so　as　to　stand　securely；　for　the
roots　were　a　long　way　off　and　the　boughs　that　overshadowed　the　whole
pool　were　too　high；　too　vast；　and　too　far　apart　for　me　to　reach
them；　so　I　hung　patiently　on；　waiting　till　the　pool　should　discharge
my　mast　and　raft　again…　and　a　very　long　while　it　seemed。　A　juryman
is　not　more　glad　to　get　home　to　supper；　after　having　been　long
detained　in　court　by　troublesome　cases；　than　I　was　to　see　my　raft
beginning　to　work　its　way　out　of　the　whirlpool　again。　At　last　I　let　go
with　my　hands　and　feet；　and　fell　heavily　into　the　sea；　bard　by　my　raft
on　to　which　I　then　got；　and　began　to　row　with　my　hands。　As　for　Scylla；
the　father　of　gods　and　men　would　not　let　her　get　further　sight　of
me…　otherwise　I　should　have　certainly　been　lost。＇
　　〃Hence　I　was　carried　along　for　nine　days　till　on　the　tenth　night　the
gods　stranded　me　on　the　Ogygian　island；　where　dwells　the　great　and
powerful　goddess　Calypso。　She　took　me　in　and　was　kind　to　me；　but　I
need　say　no　more　about　this；　for　I　told　you　and　your　noble　wife　all
about　it　yesterday；　and　I　hate　saying　the　same　thing　over　and　over
again。〃

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　BOOK　XIII。
　　THUS　did　he　speak；　and　they　all　held　their　peace　throughout　the
covered　cloister；　enthralled　by　the　charm　of　his　story；　till　presently
Alcinous　began　to　speak。
　　〃Ulysses；〃　said　he；　〃now　that　you　have　reached　my　house　I　doubt
not　you　will　get　home　without　further　misadventure　no　matter　how
much　you　have　suffered　in　the　past。　To　you　others；　however；　who　come
here　night　after　night　to　drink　my　choicest　wine　and　listen　to　my
bard；　I　would　insist　as　follows。　Our　guest　has　already　packed　up　the
clothes；　wrought　gold；　and　other　valuables　which　you　have　brought
for　his　acceptance；　let　us　now；　therefore；　present　him　further；　each
one　of　us；　with　a　large　tripod　and　a　cauldron。　We　will　recoup
ourselves　by　the　levy　of　a　general　rate；　for　private　individuals
cannot　be　expected　to　bear　the　burden　of　such　a　handsome　present。〃
　　Every　one　approved　of　this；　and　then　they　went　home　to　bed　each　in
his　own　abode。　When　the　child　of　morning；　rosy…fingered　Dawn；
appeared；　they　hurried　down　to　the　ship　and　brought　their　cauldrons
with　them。　Alcinous　went　on　board　and　saw　everything　so　securely
stowed　under　the　ship's　benches　that　nothing　could　break　adrift　and
injure　the　rowers。　Then　they　went　to　the　house　of　Alcinous　to　get
dinner；　and　he　sacrificed　a　bull　for　them　in　honour　of　Jove　who　is　the
lord　of　all。　They　set　the　steaks　to　grill　and　made　an　excellent
dinner；　after　which　the　inspired　bard；　Demodocus；　who　was　a
favourite　with　every　one；　sang　to　them；　but　Ulysses　kept　on　turning
his　eyes　towards　the　sun；　as　though　to　hasten　his　setting；　for　he
was　longing　to　be　on　his　way。　As　one　who　has　been　all　day　ploughing
a　fallow　field　with　a　couple　of　oxen　keeps　thinking　about　his　supper
and　is　glad　when　night　comes　that　he　may　go　and　get　it；　for　it　is
all　his　le