the odyssey(奥德赛)-第42章

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nymphs；　saying；　〃Naiad　nymphs；　daughters　of　Jove；　I　made　sure　that　I
was　never　again　to　see　you；　now　therefore　I　greet　you　with　all
loving　salutations；　and　I　will　bring　you　offerings　as　in　the　old　days；
if　Jove's　redoubtable　daughter　will　grant　me　life；　and　bring　my　son　to
manhood。〃
　　〃Take　heart；　and　do　not　trouble　yourself　about　that；〃　rejoined
Minerva；　〃let　us　rather　set　about　stowing　your　things　at　once　in　the
cave；　where　they　will　be　quite　safe。　Let　us　see　how　we　can　best　manage
it　all。〃
　　Therewith　she　went　down　into　the　cave　to　look　for　the　safest
hiding　places；　while　Ulysses　brought　up　all　the　treasure　of　gold；
bronze；　and　good　clothing　which　the　Phaecians　had　given　him。　They
stowed　everything　carefully　away；　and　Minerva　set　a　stone　against
the　door　of　the　cave。　Then　the　two　sat　down　by　the　root　of　the　great
olive；　and　consulted　how　to　compass　the　destruction　of　the　wicked
suitors。
　　〃Ulysses；〃　said　Minerva；　〃noble　son　of　Laertes；　think　how　you　can
lay　hands　on　these　disreputable　people　who　have　been　lording　it　in
your　house　these　three　years；　courting　your　wife　and　making　wedding
presents　to　her；　while　she　does　nothing　but　lament　your　absence；
giving　hope　and　sending　your　encouraging　messages　to　every　one　of
them；　but　meaning　the　very　opposite　of　all　she　says'
　　And　Ulysses　answered；　〃In　good　truth；　goddess；　it　seems　I　should
have　come　to　much　the　same　bad　end　in　my　own　house　as　Agamemnon　did；
if　you　had　not　given　me　such　timely　information。　Advise　me　how　I　shall
best　avenge　myself。　Stand　by　my　side　and　put　your　courage　into　my
heart　as　on　the　day　when　we　loosed　Troy's　fair　diadem　from　her　brow。
Help　me　now　as　you　did　then；　and　I　will　fight　three　hundred　men；　if
you；　goddess；　will　be　with　me。〃
　　〃Trust　me　for　that；〃　said　she；　〃I　will　not　lose　sight　of　you　when
once　we　set　about　it；　and　I　would　imagine　that　some　of　those　who　are
devouring　your　substance　will　then　bespatter　the　pavement　with　their
blood　and　brains。　I　will　begin　by　disguising　you　so　that　no　human
being　shall　know　you；　I　will　cover　your　body　with　wrinkles；　you
shall　lose　all　your　yellow　hair；　I　will　clothe　you　in　a　garment　that
shall　fill　all　who　see　it　with　loathing；　I　will　blear　your　fine　eyes
for　you；　and　make　you　an　unseemly　object　in　the　sight　of　the
suitors；　of　your　wife；　and　of　the　son　whom　you　left　behind　you。　Then
go　at　once　to　the　swineherd　who　is　in　charge　of　your　pigs；　he　has　been
always　well　affected　towards　you；　and　is　devoted　to　Penelope　and
your　son；　you　will　find　him　feeding　his　pigs　near　the　rock　that　is
called　Raven　by　the　fountain　Arethusa；　where　they　are　fattening　on
beechmast　and　spring　water　after　their　manner。　Stay　with　him　and
find　out　how　things　are　going；　while　I　proceed　to　Sparta　and　see
your　son；　who　is　with　Menelaus　at　Lacedaemon；　where　he　has　gone　to　try
and　find　out　whether　you　are　still　alive。〃
　　〃But　why；〃　said　Ulysses；　〃did　you　not　tell　him；　for　you　knew　all
about　it？　Did　you　want　him　too　to　go　sailing　about　amid　all　kinds　of
hardship　while　others　are　eating　up　his　estate？〃
　　Minerva　answered；　〃Never　mind　about　him；　I　sent　him　that　he　might　be
well　spoken　of　for　having　gone。　He　is　in　no　sort　of　difficulty；　but　is
staying　quite　comfortably　with　Menelaus；　and　is　surrounded　with
abundance　of　every　kind。　The　suitors　have　put　out　to　sea　and　are　lying
in　wait　for　him；　for　they　mean　to　kill　him　before　he　can　get　home。　I
do　not　much　think　they　will　succeed；　but　rather　that　some　of　those　who
are　now　eating　up　your　estate　will　first　find　a　grave　themselves。〃
　　As　she　spoke　Minerva　touched　him　with　her　wand　and　covered　him
with　wrinkles；　took　away　all　his　yellow　hair；　and　withered　the　flesh
over　his　whole　body；　she　bleared　his　eyes；　which　were　naturally　very
fine　ones；　she　changed　his　clothes　and　threw　an　old　rag　of　a　wrap
about　him；　and　a　tunic；　tattered；　filthy；　and　begrimed　with　smoke；　she
also　gave　him　an　undressed　deer　skin　as　an　outer　garment；　and
furnished　him　with　a　staff　and　a　wallet　all　in　holes；　with　a　twisted
thong　for　him　to　sling　it　over　his　shoulder。
　　When　the　pair　had　thus　laid　their　plans　they　parted；　and　the　goddess
went　straight　to　Lacedaemon　to　fetch　Telemachus。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　BOOK　XIV。
　　ULYSSES　now　left　the　haven；　and　took　the　rough　track　up　through
the　wooded　country　and　over　the　crest　of　the　mountain　till　he
reached　the　place　where　Minerva　had　said　that　he　would　find　the
swineherd；　who　was　the　most　thrifty　servant　he　had。　He　found　him
sitting　in　front　of　his　hut；　which　was　by　the　yards　that　he　had
built　on　a　site　which　could　be　seen　from　far。　He　had　made　them
spacious　and　fair　to　see；　with　a　free　ran　for　the　pigs　all　round　them；
he　had　built　them　during　his　master's　absence；　of　stones　which　he
had　gathered　out　of　the　ground；　without　saying　anything　to　Penelope　or
Laertes；　and　he　had　fenced　them　on　top　with　thorn　bushes。　Outside
the　yard　he　had　run　a　strong　fence　of　oaken　posts；　split；　and　set
pretty　close　together；　while　inside　lie　had　built　twelve　sties　near
one　another　for　the　sows　to　lie　in。　There　were　fifty　pigs　wallowing　in
each　sty；　all　of　them　breeding　sows；　but　the　boars　slept　outside　and
were　much　fewer　in　number；　for　the　suitors　kept　on　eating　them；　and
die　swineherd　had　to　send　them　the　best　he　had　continually。　There　were
three　hundred　and　sixty　boar　pigs；　and　the　herdsman's　four　hounds；
which　were　as　fierce　as　wolves；　slept　always　with　them。　The
swineherd　was　at　that　moment　cutting　out　a　pair　of　sandals　from　a　good
stout　ox　hide。　Three　of　his　men　were　out　herding　the　pigs　in　one　place
or　another；　and　he　had　sent　the　fourth　to　town　with　a　boar　that　he　had
been　forced　to　send　the　suitors　that　they　might　sacrifice　it　and
have　their　fill　of　meat。
　　When　the　hounds　saw　Ulysses　they　set　up　a　furious　barking　and　flew
at　him；　but　Ulysses　was　cunning　enough　to　sit　down　and　loose　his
hold　of　the　stick　that　he　had　in　his　hand：　still；　he　would　have　been
torn　by　them　in　his　own　homestead　had　not　the　swineherd　dropped　his　ox
hide；　rushed　full　speed　through　the　gate　of　the　yard　and　driven　the
dogs　off　by　shouting　and　throwing　stones　at　them。　Then　he　said　to
Ulysses；　〃Old　man；　the　dogs　were　likely　to　have　made　short　work　of
you；　and　then　you　would　have　got　me　into　trouble。　The　gods　have
given　me　quite　enough　worries　without　that；　for　I　have　lost　the　best
of　masters；　and　am　in　continual　grief　on　his　account。　I　have　to　attend
swine　for　other　people　to　eat；　while　he；　if　he　yet　lives　to　see　the
light　of　day；　is　starving　in　some　distant　land。　But　come　inside；　and
when　you　have　had　your　fill　of　bread　and　wine；　tell　me　where　you
come　from；　and　all　about　your　misfortunes。〃
　　On　this　the　swineherd　led　the　way　into　the　hut　and　bade　him　sit
down。　He　strewed　a　good　thick　bed　of　rushes　upon　the　floor；　and　on　the
top　of　this　he　threw　the　shaggy　chamois　skin…　a　great　thick　one…　on
which　he　used　to　sleep　by　night。　Ulysses　was　pleased　at　being　made
thus　welcome；　and　said　〃May　Jove；　sir；　and　the　rest　of　the　gods
grant　you　your　heart's　desire　in　return　for　the　kind　way　in　which
you　have　received　me。〃
　　To　this　you　answered；　O　swineherd　Eumaeus；　〃Stranger；　though　a　still
poorer　man　should　come　here；　it　would　not　be　right　for　me　to　insult
him；　for　all　strangers　and　beggars　are　from　Jove。　You　must　take　what
you　can　get　and　be　thankful；　for　servants　live　in　fear　when　they
have　young　lords　for　their　masters；　and　this　is　my　misfortune　now；　for
heaven　has　hindered　the　return　of　him　who　would　have　been　always
good　to　me　and　given　me　something　of　my　own…　a　house；　a　piece　of　land；
a　good　looking　wife；　and　all　else　that　a　liberal　master　allows　a
servant　who　has　worked　hard　for　him；　and　whose　labour　the　gods　have
prospered　as　they　have　mine　in　the　situation　which　I　hold。　If　my
master　had　grown　old　here　he　would　have　done　great　things　by　me；　but
he　is　gone；　and　I　wish　that　Helen's　whole　race　were　utterly　destroyed；
for　she　has　been　the　death　of　many　a　good　man。　It　was　this　matter　that
took　my　master　to　Ilius；　the　land　of　noble　steeds；　to　fight　the
Trojans　in　the　cause　of　kin　Agamemnon。〃
　　As　he　spoke　he　bound　his　girdle　round　him　and　went　to　the　sties
where　the　young　sucking　pigs　were　penned。　He　picked　out　two　which