the odyssey(奥德赛)-第43章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　　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　he
brought　back　with　him　and　sacrificed。　He　singed　them；　cut　them　up；　and
spitted　on　them；　when　the　meat　was　cooked　he　brought　it　all　in　and　set
it　before　Ulysses；　hot　and　still　on　the　spit；　whereon　Ulysses
sprinkled　it　over　with　white　barley　meal。　The　swineherd　then　mixed
wine　in　a　bowl　of　ivy…wood；　and　taking　a　seat　opposite　Ulysses　told
him　to　begin。
　　〃Fall　to；　stranger；〃　said　he；　〃on　a　dish　of　servant's　pork。　The
fat　pigs　have　to　go　to　the　suitors；　who　eat　them　up　without　shame　or
scruple；　but　the　blessed　gods　love　not　such　shameful　doings；　and
respect　those　who　do　what　is　lawful　and　right。　Even　the　fierce
free…booters　who　go　raiding　on　other　people's　land；　and　Jove　gives
them　their　spoil…　even　they；　when　they　have　filled　their　ships　and　got
home　again　live　conscience…stricken；　and　look　fearfully　for　judgement；
but　some　god　seems　to　have　told　these　people　that　Ulysses　is　dead
and　gone；　they　will　not；　therefore；　go　back　to　their　own　homes　and
make　their　offers　of　marriage　in　the　usual　way；　but　waste　his　estate
by　force；　without　fear　or　stint。　Not　a　day　or　night　comes　out　of
heaven；　but　they　sacrifice　not　one　victim　nor　two　only；　and　they
take　the　run　of　his　wine；　for　he　was　exceedingly　rich。　No　other
great　man　either　in　Ithaca　or　on　the　mainland　is　as　rich　as　he　was；　he
had　as　much　as　twenty　men　put　together。　I　will　tell　you　what　he　had。
There　are　twelve　herds　of　cattle　upon　the　mainland；　and　as　many　flocks
of　sheep；　there　are　also　twelve　droves　of　pigs；　while　his　own　men
and　hired　strangers　feed　him　twelve　widely　spreading　herds　of　goats。
Here　in　Ithaca　he　runs　even　large　flocks　of　goats　on　the　far　end　of
the　island；　and　they　are　in　the　charge　of　excellent　goatherds。　Each
one　of　these　sends　the　suitors　the　best　goat　in　the　flock　every　day。
As　for　myself；　I　am　in　charge　of　the　pigs　that　you　see　here；　and　I
have　to　keep　picking　out　the　best　I　have　and　sending　it　to　them。〃
　　This　was　his　story；　but　Ulysses　went　on　eating　and　drinking
ravenously　without　a　word；　brooding　his　revenge。　When　he　had　eaten
enough　and　was　satisfied；　the　swineherd　took　the　bowl　from　which　he
usually　drank；　filled　it　with　wine；　and　gave　it　to　Ulysses；　who　was
pleased；　and　said　as　he　took　it　in　his　hands；　〃My　friend；　who　was　this
master　of　yours　that　bought　you　and　paid　for　you；　so　rich　and　so
powerful　as　you　tell　me？　You　say　he　perished　in　the　cause　of　King
Agamemnon；　tell　me　who　he　was；　in　case　I　may　have　met　with　such　a
person。　Jove　and　the　other　gods　know；　but　I　may　be　able　to　give　you
news　of　him；　for　I　have　travelled　much。〃
　　Eumaeus　answered；　〃Old　man；　no　traveller　who　comes　here　with　news
will　get　Ulysses'　wife　and　son　to　believe　his　story。　Nevertheless；
tramps　in　want　of　a　lodging　keep　coming　with　their　mouths　full　of
lies；　and　not　a　word　of　truth；　every　one　who　finds　his　way　to　Ithaca
goes　to　my　mistress　and　tells　her　falsehoods；　whereon　she　takes　them
in；　makes　much　of　them；　and　asks　them　all　manner　of　questions；
crying　all　the　time　as　women　will　when　they　have　lost　their
husbands。　And　you　too；　old　man；　for　a　shirt　and　a　cloak　would
doubtless　make　up　a　very　pretty　story。　But　the　wolves　and　birds　of
prey　have　long　since　torn　Ulysses　to　pieces；　or　the　fishes　of　the
sea　have　eaten　him；　and　his　bones　are　lying　buried　deep　in　sand　upon
some　foreign　shore；　he　is　dead　and　gone；　and　a　bad　business　it　is
for　all　his　friends…　for　me　especially；　go　where　I　may　I　shall　never
find　so　good　a　master；　not　even　if　I　were　to　go　home　to　my　mother
and　father　where　I　was　bred　and　born。　I　do　not　so　much　care；
however；　about　my　parents　now；　though　I　should　dearly　like　to　see　them
again　in　my　own　country；　it　is　the　loss　of　Ulysses　that　grieves　me
most；　I　cannot　speak　of　him　without　reverence　though　he　is　here　no
longer；　for　he　was　very　fond　of　me；　and　took　such　care　of　me　that
whereever　he　may　be　I　shall　always　honour　his　memory。〃
　　〃My　friend；〃　replied　Ulysses；　〃you　are　very　positive；　and　very
hard　of　belief　about　your　master's　coming　home　again；　nevertheless　I
will　not　merely　say；　but　will　swear；　that　he　is　coming。　Do　not　give　me
anything　for　my　news　till　he　has　actually　come；　you　may　then　give　me　a
shirt　and　cloak　of　good　wear　if　you　will。　I　am　in　great　want；　but　I
will　not　take　anything　at　all　till　then；　for　I　hate　a　man；　even　as　I
hate　hell　fire；　who　lets　his　poverty　tempt　him　into　lying。　I　swear
by　king　Jove；　by　the　rites　of　hospitality；　and　by　that　hearth　of
Ulysses　to　which　I　have　now　come；　that　all　will　surely　happen　as　I
have　said　it　will。　Ulysses　will　return　in　this　self　same　year；　with
the　end　of　this　moon　and　the　beginning　of　the　next　he　will　be　here
to　do　vengeance　on　all　those　who　are　ill　treating　his　wife　and　son。〃
　　To　this　you　answered；　O　swineherd　Eumaeus；　〃Old　man；　you　will
neither　get　paid　for　bringing　good　news；　nor　will　Ulysses　ever　come
home；　drink　you　wine　in　peace；　and　let　us　talk　about　something　else。
Do　not　keep　on　reminding　me　of　all　this；　it　always　pains　me　when　any
one　speaks　about　my　honoured　master。　As　for　your　oath　we　will　let　it
alone；　but　I　only　wish　he　may　come；　as　do　Penelope；　his　old　father
Laertes；　and　his　son　Telemachus。　I　am　terribly　unhappy　too　about
this　same　boy　of　his；　he　was　running　up　fast　into　manhood；　and　bade
fare　to　be　no　worse　man；　face　and　figure；　than　his　father；　but　some
one；　either　god　or　man；　has　been　unsettling　his　mind；　so　he　has　gone
off　to　Pylos　to　try　and　get　news　of　his　father；　and　the　suitors　are
lying　in　wait　for　him　as　he　is　coming　home；　in　the　hope　of　leaving　the
house　of　Arceisius　without　a　name　in　Ithaca。　But　let　us　say　no　more
about　him；　and　leave　him　to　be　taken；　or　else　to　escape　if　the　son
of　Saturn　holds　his　hand　over　him　to　protect　him。　And　now；　old　man；
tell　me　your　own　story；　tell　me　also；　for　I　want　to　know；　who　you
are　and　where　you　come　from。　Tell　me　of　your　town　and　parents；　what
manner　of　ship　you　came　in；　how　crew　brought　you　to　Ithaca；　and　from
what　country　they　professed　to　come…　for　you　cannot　have　come　by
land。〃
　　And　Ulysses　answered；　〃I　will　tell　you　all　about　it。　If　there　were
meat　and　wine　enough；　and　we　could　stay　here　in　the　hut　with　nothing
to　do　but　to　eat　and　drink　while　the　others　go　to　their　work；　I
could　easily　talk　on　for　a　whole　twelve　months　without　ever
finishing　the　story　of　the　sorrows　with　which　it　has　pleased　heaven　to
visit　me。
　　〃I　am　by　birth　a　Cretan；　my　father　was　a　well…to…do　man；　who　had
many　sons　born　in　marriage；　whereas　I　was　the　son　of　a　slave　whom　he
had　purchased　for　a　concubine；　nevertheless；　my　father　Castor　son　of
Hylax　（whose　lineage　I　claim；　and　who　was　held　in　the　highest　honour
among　the　Cretans　for　his　wealth；　prosperity；　and　the　valour　of　his
sons）　put　me　on　the　same　level　with　my　brothers　who　had　been　born　in
wedlock。　When；　however；　death　took　him　to　the　house　of　Hades；　his　sons
divided　his　estate　and　cast　lots　for　their　shares；　but　to　me　they　gave
a　holding　and　little　else；　nevertheless；　my　valour　enabled　me　to　marry
into　a　rich　family；　for　I　was　not　given　to　bragging；　or　shirking　on
the　field　of　battle。　It　is　all　over　now；　still；　if　you　look　at　the
straw　you　can　see　what　the　ear　was；　for　I　have　had　trouble　enough
and　to　spare。　Mars　and　Minerva　made　me　doughty　in　war；　when　I　had
picked　my　men　to　surprise　the　enemy　with　an　ambuscade　I　never　gave
death　so　much　as　a　thought；　but　was　the　first　to　leap　forward　and
spear　all　whom　I　could　overtake。　Such　was　I　in　battle；　but　I　did　not
care　about　farm　work；　nor　the　frugal　home　life　of　those　who　would
bring　up　children。　My　delight　was　in　ships；　fighting；　javelins；　and
arrows…　things　that　most　men　shudder　to　think　of；　but　one　man　likes
one　thing　and　another　another；　and　this　was　what　I　was　most
naturally　inclined　to。　Before　the　Achaeans　went　to　Troy；　nine　times
was　I　in　command　of　men　and　ships　on　foreign　service；　and　I　amassed
much　wealth。　I　had　my　pick　of　the　spoil　in　the　first　instance；　and
much　more　was　allotted　to　me　later　on。
　　〃My　house　grew　apace　and　I　became　a　great　man　among　the　Cretans；　but
when　Jove　counselled　that　terrible　expedition；　in　wh