the odyssey(奥德赛)-第41章

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upon　the　wicked　suitors。　Everything；　therefore；　seemed　quite　different
to　him…　the　long　straight　tracks；　the　harbours；　the　precipices；　and
the　goodly　trees；　appeared　all　changed　as　he　started　up　and　looked
upon　his　native　land。　So　he　smote　his　thighs　with　the　flat　of　his
hands　and　cried　aloud　despairingly。
　　〃Alas；〃　he　exclaimed；　〃among　what　manner　of　people　am　I　fallen？
Are　they　savage　and　uncivilized　or　hospitable　and　humane？　Where
shall　I　put　all　this　treasure；　and　which　way　shall　I　go？　I　wish　I
had　stayed　over　there　with　the　Phaeacians；　or　I　could　have　gone　to
some　other　great　chief　who　would　have　been　good　to　me　and　given　me
an　escort。　As　it　is　I　do　not　know　where　to　put　my　treasure；　and　I
cannot　leave　it　here　for　fear　somebody　else　should　get　hold　of　it。
In　good　truth　the　chiefs　and　rulers　of　the　Phaeacians　have　not　been
dealing　fairly　by　me；　and　have　left　me　in　the　wrong　country；　they　said
they　would　take　me　back　to　Ithaca　and　they　have　not　done　so：　may
Jove　the　protector　of　suppliants　chastise　them；　for　he　watches　over
everybody　and　punishes　those　who　do　wrong。　Still；　I　suppose　I　must
count　my　goods　and　see　if　the　crew　have　gone　off　with　any　of　them。〃
　　He　counted　his　goodly　coppers　and　cauldrons；　his　gold　and　all　his
clothes；　but　there　was　nothing　missing；　still　he　kept　grieving　about
not　being　in　his　own　country；　and　wandered　up　and　down　by　the　shore　of
the　sounding　sea　bewailing　his　hard　fate。　Then　Minerva　came　up　to
him　disguised　as　a　young　shepherd　of　delicate　and　princely　mien；
with　a　good　cloak　folded　double　about　her　shoulders；　she　had　sandals
on　her　comely　feet　and　held　a　javelin　in　her　hand。　Ulysses　was　glad
when　he　saw　her；　and　went　straight　up　to　her。
　　〃My　friend；〃　said　he；　〃you　are　the　first　person　whom　I　have　met　with
in　this　country；　I　salute　you；　therefore；　and　beg　you　to　be　will
disposed　towards　me。　Protect　these　my　goods；　and　myself　too；　for　I
embrace　your　knees　and　pray　to　you　as　though　you　were　a　god。　Tell
me；　then；　and　tell　me　truly；　what　land　and　country　is　this？　Who　are
its　inhabitants？　Am　I　on　an　island；　or　is　this　the　sea　board　of　some
continent？〃
　　Minerva　answered；　〃Stranger；　you　must　be　very　simple；　or　must　have
come　from　somewhere　a　long　way　off；　not　to　know　what　country　this
is。　It　is　a　very　celebrated　place；　and　everybody　knows　it　East　and
West。　It　is　rugged　and　not　a　good　driving　country；　but　it　is　by　no
means　a　bid　island　for　what　there　is　of　it。　It　grows　any　quantity　of
corn　and　also　wine；　for　it　is　watered　both　by　rain　and　dew；　it
breeds　cattle　also　and　goats；　all　kinds　of　timber　grow　here；　and　there
are　watering　places　where　the　water　never　runs　dry；　so；　sir；　the
name　of　Ithaca　is　known　even　as　far　as　Troy；　which　I　understand　to
be　a　long　way　off　from　this　Achaean　country。〃
　　Ulysses　was　glad　at　finding　himself；　as　Minerva　told　him；　in　his　own
country；　and　he　began　to　answer；　but　he　did　not　speak　the　truth；　and
made　up　a　lying　story　in　the　instinctive　wiliness　of　his　heart。
　　〃I　heard　of　Ithaca；〃　said　he；　〃when　I　was　in　Crete　beyond　the
seas；　and　now　it　seems　I　have　reached　it　with　all　these　treasures。　I
have　left　as　much　more　behind　me　for　my　children；　but　am　flying
because　I　killed　Orsilochus　son　of　Idomeneus；　the　fleetest　runner　in
Crete。　I　killed　him　because　he　wanted　to　rob　me　of　the　spoils　I　had
got　from　Troy　with　so　much　trouble　and　danger　both　on　the　field　of
battle　and　by　the　waves　of　the　weary　sea；　he　said　I　had　not　served　his
father　loyally　at　Troy　as　vassal；　but　had　set　myself　up　as　an
independent　ruler；　so　I　lay　in　wait　for　him　and　with　one　of　my
followers　by　the　road　side；　and　speared　him　as　he　was　coming　into　town
from　the　country。　my　It　was　a　very　dark　night　and　nobody　saw　us；　it
was　not　known；　therefore；　that　I　had　killed　him；　but　as　soon　as　I
had　done　so　I　went　to　a　ship　and　besought　the　owners；　who　were
Phoenicians；　to　take　me　on　board　and　set　me　in　Pylos　or　in　Elis
where　the　Epeans　rule；　giving　them　as　much　spoil　as　satisfied　them。
They　meant　no　guile；　but　the　wind　drove　them　off　their　course；　and
we　sailed　on　till　we　came　hither　by　night。　It　was　all　we　could　do　to
get　inside　the　harbour；　and　none　of　us　said　a　word　about　supper　though
we　wanted　it　badly；　but　we　all　went　on　shore　and　lay　down　just　as　we
were。　I　was　very　tired　and　fell　asleep　directly；　so　they　took　my　goods
out　of　the　ship；　and　placed　them　beside　me　where　I　was　lying　upon
the　sand。　Then　they　sailed　away　to　Sidonia；　and　I　was　left　here　in
great　distress　of　mind。〃
　　Such　was　his　story；　but　Minerva　smiled　and　caressed　him　with　her
hand。　Then　she　took　the　form　of　a　woman；　fair；　stately；　and　wise；
〃He　must　be　indeed　a　shifty　lying　fellow；〃　said　she；　〃who　could
surpass　you　in　all　manner　of　craft　even　though　you　had　a　god　for
your　antagonist。　Dare…devil　that　you　are；　full　of　guile；　unwearying　in
deceit；　can　you　not　drop　your　tricks　and　your　instinctive　falsehood；
even　now　that　you　are　in　your　own　country　again？　We　will　say　no
more；　however；　about　this；　for　we　can　both　of　us　deceive　upon
occasion…　you　are　the　most　accomplished　counsellor　and　orator　among
all　mankind；　while　I　for　diplomacy　and　subtlety　have　no　equal　among
the　gods。　Did　you　not　know　Jove's　daughter　Minerva…　me；　who　have
been　ever　with　you；　who　kept　watch　over　you　in　all　your　troubles；
and　who　made　the　Phaeacians　take　so　great　a　liking　to　you？　And　now；
again；　I　am　come　here　to　talk　things　over　with　you；　and　help　you　to
hide　the　treasure　I　made　the　Phaeacians　give　you；　I　want　to　tell　you
about　the　troubles　that　await　you　in　your　own　house；　you　have　got　to
face　them；　but　tell　no　one；　neither　man　nor　woman；　that　you　have
come　home　again。　Bear　everything；　and　put　up　with　every　man's
insolence；　without　a　word。〃
　　And　Ulysses　answered；　〃A　man；　goddess；　may　know　a　great　deal；　but
you　are　so　constantly　changing　your　appearance　that　when　he　meets
you　it　is　a　hard　matter　for　him　to　know　whether　it　is　you　or　not。　This
much；　however；　I　know　exceedingly　well；　you　were　very　kind　to　me　as
long　as　we　Achaeans　were　fighting　before　Troy；　but　from　the　day　on
which　we　went　on　board　ship　after　having　sacked　the　city　of　Priam；　and
heaven　dispersed　us…　from　that　day；　Minerva；　I　saw　no　more　of　you；　and
cannot　ever　remember　your　coming　to　my　ship　to　help　me　in　a
difficulty；　I　had　to　wander　on　sick　and　sorry　till　the　gods
delivered　me　from　evil　and　I　reached　the　city　of　the　Phaeacians；　where
you　encouraged　me　and　took　me　into　the　town。　And　now；　I　beseech　you　in
your　father's　name；　tell　me　the　truth；　for　I　do　not　believe　I　am
really　back　in　Ithaca。　I　am　in　some　other　country　and　you　are
mocking　me　and　deceiving　me　in　all　you　have　been　saying。　Tell　me
then　truly；　have　I　really　got　back　to　my　own　country？〃
　　〃You　are　always　taking　something　of　that　sort　into　your　head；〃
replied　Minerva；　〃and　that　is　why　I　cannot　desert　you　in　your
afflictions；　you　are　so　plausible；　shrewd　and　shifty。　Any　one　but
yourself　on　returning　from　so　long　a　voyage　would　at　once　have　gone
home　to　see　his　wife　and　children；　but　you　do　not　seem　to　care　about
asking　after　them　or　hearing　any　news　about　them　till　you　have
exploited　your　wife；　who　remains　at　home　vainly　grieving　for　you；
and　having　no　peace　night　or　day　for　the　tears　she　sheds　on　your
behalf。　As　for　my　not　coming　near　you；　I　was　never　uneasy　about　you；
for　I　was　certain　you　would　get　back　safely　though　you　would　lose
all　your　men；　and　I　did　not　wish　to　quarrel　with　my　uncle　Neptune；　who
never　forgave　you　for　having　blinded　his　son。　I　will　now；　however；
point　out　to　you　the　lie　of　the　land；　and　you　will　then　perhaps
believe　me。　This　is　the　haven　of　the　old　merman　Phorcys；　and　here　is
the　olive　tree　that　grows　at　the　head　of　it；　＇near　it　is　the　cave
sacred　to　the　Naiads；＇　here　too　is　the　overarching　cavern　in　which　you
have　offered　many　an　acceptable　hecatomb　to　the　nymphs；　and　this　is
the　wooded　mountain　Neritum。〃
　　As　she　spoke　the　goddess　dispersed　the　mist　and　the　land　appeared。
Then　Ulysses　rejoiced　at　finding　himself　again　in　his　own　land；　and
kissed　the　bounteous　soil；　he　lifted　up　his　hands　and　prayed　to　the
nymphs；　saying；　〃Naiad　nymphs；　daughters　of　Jove；　I　made　sure　that　I
was　never　again　to　see　you；　now　therefo