the odyssey(奥德赛)-第47章

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be　so；　I　will　make　vows　to　you　as　though　you　were　a　god；　even　when　I
am　at　home。〃
　　As　he　spoke　he　lashed　his　horses　and　they　started　off　at　full
speed　through　the　town　towards　the　open　country。　They　swayed　the
yoke　upon　their　necks　and　travelled　the　whole　day　long　till　the　sun
set　and　darkness　was　over　all　the　land。　Then　they　reached　Pherae；
where　Diocles　lived　who　was　son　of　Ortilochus；　the　son　of　Alpheus。
There　they　passed　the　night　and　were　treated　hospitably。　When　the
child　of　morning；　rosy…fingered　Dawn；　appeared；　they　again　yoked　their
horses　and　their　places　in　the　chariot。　They　drove　out　through　the
inner　gateway　and　under　the　echoing　gatehouse　of　the　outer　court。　Then
Pisistratus　lashed　his　horses　on　and　they　flew　forward　nothing
loath；　ere　long　they　came　to　Pylos；　and　then　Telemachus　said：
　　〃Pisistratus；　I　hope　you　will　promise　to　do　what　I　am　going　to　ask
you。　You　know　our　fathers　were　old　friends　before　us；　moreover；　we　are
both　of　an　age；　and　this　journey　has　brought　us　together　still　more
closely；　do　not；　therefore；　take　me　past　my　ship；　but　leave　me
there；　for　if　I　go　to　your　father's　house　he　will　try　to　keep　me　in
the　warmth　of　his　good　will　towards　me；　and　I　must　go　home　at　once。〃
　　Pisistratus　thought　how　he　should　do　as　he　was　asked；　and　in　the　end
he　deemed　it　best　to　turn　his　horses　towards　the　ship；　and　put
Menelaus's　beautiful　presents　of　gold　and　raiment　in　the　stern　of
the　vessel。　Then　he　said；　〃Go　on　board　at　once　and　tell　your　men　to　do
so　also　before　I　can　reach　home　to　tell　my　father。　I　know　how
obstinate　he　is；　and　am　sure　he　will　not　let　you　go；　he　will　come　down
here　to　fetch　you；　and　he　will　not　go　back　without　you。　But　he　will　be
very　angry。〃
　　With　this　he　drove　his　goodly　steeds　back　to　the　city　of　the　Pylians
and　soon　reached　his　home；　but　Telemachus　called　the　men　together
and　gave　his　orders。　〃Now；　my　men；〃　said　he；　〃get　everything　in
order　on　board　the　ship；　and　let　us　set　out　home。〃
　　Thus　did　he　speak；　and　they　went　on　board　even　as　he　had　said。　But
as　Telemachus　was　thus　busied；　praying　also　and　sacrificing　to　Minerva
in　the　ship's　stern；　there　came　to　him　a　man　from　a　distant　country；　a
seer；　who　was　flying　from　Argos　because　he　had　killed　a　man。　He　was
descended　from　Melampus；　who　used　to　live　in　Pylos；　the　land　of　sheep；
he　was　rich　and　owned　a　great　house；　but　he　was　driven　into　exile　by
the　great　and　powerful　king　Neleus。　Neleus　seized　his　goods　and　held
them　for　a　whole　year；　during　which　he　was　a　close　prisoner　in　the
house　of　king　Phylacus；　and　in　much　distress　of　mind　both　on　account
of　the　daughter　of　Neleus　and　because　he　was　haunted　by　a　great　sorrow
that　dread　Erinyes　had　laid　upon　him。　In　the　end；　however；　he
escaped　with　his　life；　drove　the　cattle　from　Phylace　to　Pylos；　avenged
the　wrong　that　had　been　done　him；　and　gave　the　daughter　of　Neleus　to
his　brother。　Then　he　left　the　country　and　went　to　Argos；　where　it
was　ordained　that　he　should　reign　over　much　people。　There　he
married；　established　himself；　and　had　two　famous　sons　Antiphates　and
Mantius。　Antiphates　became　father　of　Oicleus；　and　Oicleus　of
Amphiaraus；　who　was　dearly　loved　both　by　Jove　and　by　Apollo；　but　he
did　not　live　to　old　age；　for　he　was　killed　in　Thebes　by　reason　of　a
woman's　gifts。　His　sons　were　Alcmaeon　and　Amphilochus。　Mantius；　the
other　son　of　Melampus；　was　father　to　Polypheides　and　Cleitus。
Aurora；　throned　in　gold；　carried　off　Cleitus　for　his　beauty's　sake；
that　he　might　dwell　among　the　immortals；　but　Apollo　made　Polypheides
the　greatest　seer　in　the　whole　world　now　that　Amphiaraus　was　dead。
He　quarrelled　with　his　father　and　went　to　live　in　Hyperesia；　where
he　remained　and　prophesied　for　all　men。
　　His　son；　Theoclymenus；　it　was　who　now　came　up　to　Telemachus　as　he
was　making　drink…offerings　and　praying　in　his　ship。　〃Friend'〃　said　he；
〃now　that　I　find　you　sacrificing　in　this　place；　I　beseech　you　by
your　sacrifices　themselves；　and　by　the　god　to　whom　you　make　them；　I
pray　you　also　by　your　own　head　and　by　those　of　your　followers；　tell　me
the　truth　and　nothing　but　the　truth。　Who　and　whence　are　you？　Tell　me
also　of　your　town　and　parents。〃
　　Telemachus　said；　〃I　will　answer　you　quite　truly。　I　am　from　Ithaca；
and　my　father　is　'Ulysses；　as　surely　as　that　he　ever　lived。　But　he　has
come　to　some　miserable　end。　Therefore　I　have　taken　this　ship　and　got
my　crew　together　to　see　if　I　can　hear　any　news　of　him；　for　he　has　been
away　a　long　time。〃
　　〃I　too；〃　answered　Theoclymenus；　am　an　exile；　for　I　have　killed　a　man
of　my　own　race。　He　has　many　brothers　and　kinsmen　in　Argos；　and　they
have　great　power　among　the　Argives。　I　am　flying　to　escape　death　at
their　hands；　and　am　thus　doomed　to　be　a　wanderer　on　the　face　of　the
earth。　I　am　your　suppliant；　take　me；　therefore；　on　board　your　ship
that　they　may　not　kill　me；　for　I　know　they　are　in　pursuit。〃
　　〃I　will　not　refuse　you；〃　replied　Telemachus；　〃if　you　wish　to　join
us。　Come；　therefore；　and　in　Ithaca　we　will　treat　you　hospitably
according　to　what　we　have。〃
　　On　this　he　received　Theoclymenus'　spear　and　laid　it　down　on　the　deck
of　the　ship。　He　went　on　board　and　sat　in　the　stern；　bidding
Theoclymenus　sit　beside　him；　then　the　men　let　go　the　hawsers。
Telemachus　told　them　to　catch　hold　of　the　ropes；　and　they　made　all
haste　to　do　so。　They　set　the　mast　in　its　socket　in　the　cross　plank；
raised　it　and　made　it　fast　with　the　forestays；　and　they　hoisted
their　white　sails　with　sheets　of　twisted　ox　hide。　Minerva　sent　them
a　fair　wind　that　blew　fresh　and　strong　to　take　the　ship　on　her
course　as　fast　as　possible。　Thus　then　they　passed　by　Crouni　and
Chalcis。
　　Presently　the　sun　set　and　darkness　was　over　all　the　land。　The　vessel
made　a　quick　pass　sage　to　Pheae　and　thence　on　to　Elis；　where　the
Epeans　rule。　Telemachus　then　headed　her　for　the　flying　islands；
wondering　within　himself　whether　he　should　escape　death　or　should　be
taken　prisoner。
　　Meanwhile　Ulysses　and　the　swineherd　were　eating　their　supper　in
the　hut；　and　the　men　supped　with　them。　As　soon　as　they　had　had　to
eat　and　drink；　Ulysses　began　trying　to　prove　the　swineherd　and　see
whether　he　would　continue　to　treat　him　kindly；　and　ask　him　to　stay
on　at　the　station　or　pack　him　off　to　the　city；　so　he　said：
　　〃Eumaeus；　and　all　of　you；　to…morrow　I　want　to　go　away　and　begin
begging　about　the　town；　so　as　to　be　no　more　trouble　to　you　or　to
your　men。　Give　me　your　advice　therefore；　and　let　me　have　a　good
guide　to　go　with　me　and　show　me　the　way。　I　will　go　the　round　of　the
city　begging　as　I　needs　must；　to　see　if　any　one　will　give　me　a　drink
and　a　piece　of　bread。　I　should　like　also　to　go　to　the　house　of　Ulysses
and　bring　news　of　her　husband　to　queen　Penelope。　I　could　then　go　about
among　the　suitors　and　see　if　out　of　all　their　abundance　they　will　give
me　a　dinner。　I　should　soon　make　them　an　excellent　servant　in　all　sorts
of　ways。　Listen　and　believe　when　I　tell　you　that　by　the　blessing　of
Mercury　who　gives　grace　and　good　name　to　the　works　of　all　men；　there
is　no　one　living　who　would　make　a　more　handy　servant　than　I　should…　to
put　fresh　wood　on　the　fire；　chop　fuel；　carve；　cook；　pour　out　wine；　and
do　all　those　services　that　poor　men　have　to　do　for　their　betters。〃
　　The　swineherd　was　very　much　disturbed　when　he　heard　this。　〃Heaven
help　me；〃　he　exclaimed；　〃what　ever　can　have　put　such　a　notion　as
that　into　your　head？　If　you　go　near　the　suitors　you　will　be　undone
to　a　certainty；　for　their　pride　and　insolence　reach　the　very
heavens。　They　would　never　think　of　taking　a　man　like　you　for　a
servant。　Their　servants　are　all　young　men；　well　dressed；　wearing
good　cloaks　and　shirts；　with　well　looking　faces　and　their　hair
always　tidy；　the　tables　are　kept　quite　clean　and　are　loaded　with
bread；　meat；　and　wine。　Stay　where　you　are；　then；　you　are　not　in
anybody's　way；　I　do　not　mind　your　being　here；　no　more　do　any　of　the
others；　and　when　Telemachus　comes　home　he　will　give　you　a　shirt　and
cloak　and　will　send　you　wherever　you　want　to　go。〃
　　Ulysses　answered；　〃I　hope　you　may　be　as　dear　to　the　gods　as　you
are　to　me；　for　having　saved　me　from　going　about　and　getting　into
trouble；　there　is　nothing　worse　than　being　always　ways　on　the　tramp；
still；　when　men　have　once　got　low　d