the odyssey(奥德赛)-第48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！


trouble；　there　is　nothing　worse　than　being　always　ways　on　the　tramp；
still；　when　men　have　once　got　low　down　in　the　world　they　will　go
through　a　great　deal　on　behalf　of　their　miserable　bellies。　Since
however　you　press　me　to　stay　here　and　await　the　return　of
Telemachus；　tell　about　Ulysses'　mother；　and　his　father　whom　he　left　on
the　threshold　of　old　age　when　he　set　out　for　Troy。　Are　they　still
living　or　are　they　already　dead　and　in　the　house　of　Hades？〃
　　〃I　will　tell　you　all　about　them；〃　replied　Eumaeus；　〃Laertes　is　still
living　and　prays　heaven　to　let　him　depart　peacefully　his　own　house；
for　he　is　terribly　distressed　about　the　absence　of　his　son；　and　also
about　the　death　of　his　wife；　which　grieved　him　greatly　and　aged　him
more　than　anything　else　did。　She　came　to　an　unhappy　end　through　sorrow
for　her　son：　may　no　friend　or　neighbour　who　has　dealt　kindly　by　me
come　to　such　an　end　as　she　did。　As　long　as　she　was　still　living；
though　she　was　always　grieving；　I　used　to　like　seeing　her　and　asking
her　how　she　did；　for　she　brought　me　up　along　with　her　daughter
Ctimene；　the　youngest　of　her　children；　we　were　boy　and　girl
together；　and　she　made　little　difference　between　us。　When；　however；　we
both　grew　up；　they　sent　Ctimene　to　Same　and　received　a　splendid
dowry　for　her。　As　for　me；　my　mistress　gave　me　a　good　shirt　and　cloak
with　a　pair　of　sandals　for　my　feet；　and　sent　me　off　into　the
country；　but　she　was　just　as　fond　of　me　as　ever。　This　is　all　over　now。
Still　it　has　pleased　heaven　to　prosper　my　work　in　the　situation
which　I　now　hold。　I　have　enough　to　eat　and　drink；　and　can　find
something　for　any　respectable　stranger　who　comes　here；　but　there　is　no
getting　a　kind　word　or　deed　out　of　my　mistress；　for　the　house　has
fallen　into　the　hands　of　wicked　people。　Servants　want　sometimes　to　see
their　mistress　and　have　a　talk　with　her；　they　like　to　have　something
to　eat　and　drink　at　the　house；　and　something　too　to　take　back　with
them　into　the　country。　This　is　what　will　keep　servants　in　a　good
humour。〃
　　Ulysses　answered；　〃Then　you　must　have　been　a　very　little　fellow；
Eumaeus；　when　you　were　taken　so　far　away　from　your　home　and　parents。
Tell　me；　and　tell　me　true；　was　the　city　in　which　your　father　and
mother　lived　sacked　and　pillaged；　or　did　some　enemies　carry　you　off
when　you　were　alone　tending　sheep　or　cattle；　ship　you　off　here；　and
sell　you　for　whatever　your　master　gave　them？〃
　　〃Stranger；〃　replied　Eumaeus；　〃as　regards　your　question：　sit　still；
make　yourself　comfortable；　drink　your　wine；　and　listen　to　me。　The
nights　are　now　at　their　longest；　there　is　plenty　of　time　both　for
sleeping　and　sitting　up　talking　together；　you　ought　not　to　go　to　bed
till　bed　time；　too　much　sleep　is　as　bad　as　too　little；　if　any　one　of
the　others　wishes　to　go　to　bed　let　him　leave　us　and　do　so；　he　can　then
take　my　master's　pigs　out　when　he　has　done　breakfast　in　the　morning。
We　two　will　sit　here　eating　and　drinking　in　the　hut；　and　telling　one
another　stories　about　our　misfortunes；　for　when　a　man　has　suffered
much；　and　been　buffeted　about　in　the　world；　he　takes　pleasure　in
recalling　the　memory　of　sorrows　that　have　long　gone　by。　As　regards
your　question；　then；　my　tale　is　as　follows：
　　〃You　may　have　heard　of　an　island　called　Syra　that　lies　over　above
Ortygia；　where　the　land　begins　to　turn　round　and　look　in　another
direction。　It　is　not　very　thickly　peopled；　but　the　soil　is　good；
with　much　pasture　fit　for　cattle　and　sheep；　and　it　abounds　with　wine
and　wheat。　Dearth　never　comes　there；　nor　are　the　people　plagued　by　any
sickness；　but　when　they　grow　old　Apollo　comes　with　Diana　and　kills
them　with　his　painless　shafts。　It　contains　two　communities；　and　the
whole　country　is　divided　between　these　two。　My　father　Ctesius　son　of
Ormenus；　a　man　comparable　to　the　gods；　reigned　over　both。
　　〃Now　to　this　place　there　came　some　cunning　traders　from　Phoenicia
（for　the　Phoenicians　are　great　mariners）　in　a　ship　which　they　had
freighted　with　gewgaws　of　all　kinds。　There　happened　to　be　a　Phoenician
woman　in　my　father's　house；　very　tall　and　comely；　and　an　excellent
servant；　these　scoundrels　got　hold　of　her　one　day　when　she　was　washing
near　their　ship；　seduced　her；　and　cajoled　her　in　ways　that　no　woman
can　resist；　no　matter　how　good　she　may　be　by　nature。　The　man　who　had
seduced　her　asked　her　who　she　was　and　where　she　came　from；　and　on
this　she　told　him　her　father's　name。　'I　come　from　Sidon；'　said　she；
'and　am　daughter　to　Arybas；　a　man　rolling　in　wealth。　One　day　as　I
was　coming　into　the　town　from　the　country　some　Taphian　pirates
seized　me　and　took　me　here　over　the　sea；　where　they　sold　me　to　the　man
who　owns　this　house；　and　he　gave　them　their　price　for　me。'
　　〃The　man　who　had　seduced　her　then　said；　'Would　you　like　to　come
along　with　us　to　see　the　house　of　your　parents　and　your　parents
themselves？　They　are　both　alive　and　are　said　to　be　well　off。'
　　〃'I　will　do　so　gladly；'　answered　she；　'if　you　men　will　first　swear
me　a　solemn　oath　that　you　will　do　me　no　harm　by　the　way。'
　　〃They　all　swore　as　she　told　them；　and　when　they　had　completed
their　oath　the　woman　said；　'Hush；　and　if　any　of　your　men　meets　me　in
the　street　or　at　the　well；　do　not　let　him　speak　to　me；　for　fear　some
one　should　go　and　tell　my　master；　in　which　case　he　would　suspect
something。　He　would　put　me　in　prison；　and　would　have　all　of　you
murdered；　keep　your　own　counsel　therefore；　buy　your　merchandise　as
fast　as　you　can；　and　send　me　word　when　you　have　done　loading。　I　will
bring　as　much　gold　as　I　can　lay　my　hands　on；　and　there　is　something
else　also　that　I　can　do　towards　paying　my　fare。　I　am　nurse　to　the
son　of　the　good　man　of　the　house；　a　funny　little　fellow　just　able　to
run　about。　I　will　carry　him　off　in　your　ship；　and　you　will　get　a　great
deal　of　money　for　him　if　you　take　him　and　sell　him　in　foreign　parts。'
　　〃On　this　she　went　back　to　the　house。　The　Phoenicians　stayed　a
whole　year　till　they　had　loaded　their　ship　with　much　precious
merchandise；　and　then；　when　they　had　got　freight　enough；　they　sent
to　tell　the　woman。　Their　messenger；　a　very　cunning　fellow；　came　to
my　father's　house　bringing　a　necklace　of　gold　with　amber　beads
strung　among　it；　and　while　my　mother　and　the　servants　had　it　in
their　hands　admiring　it　and　bargaining　about　it；　he　made　a　sign
quietly　to　the　woman　and　then　went　back　to　the　ship；　whereon　she
took　me　by　the　hand　and　led　me　out　of　the　house。　In　the　fore　part　of
the　house　she　saw　the　tables　set　with　the　cups　of　guests　who　had
been　feasting　with　my　father；　as　being　in　attendance　on　him；　these
were　now　all　gone　to　a　meeting　of　the　public　assembly；　so　she　snatched
up　three　cups　and　carried　them　off　in　the　bosom　of　her　dress；　while
I　followed　her；　for　I　knew　no　better。　The　sun　was　now　set；　and
darkness　was　over　all　the　land；　so　we　hurried　on　as　fast　as　we　could
till　we　reached　the　harbour；　where　the　Phoenician　ship　was　lying。　When
they　had　got　on　board　they　sailed　their　ways　over　the　sea；　taking　us
with　them；　and　Jove　sent　then　a　fair　wind；　six　days　did　we　sail　both
night　and　day；　but　on　the　seventh　day　Diana　struck　the　woman　and　she
fell　heavily　down　into　the　ship's　hold　as　though　she　were　a　sea　gull
alighting　on　the　water；　so　they　threw　her　overboard　to　the　seals　and
fishes；　and　I　was　left　all　sorrowful　and　alone。　Presently　the　winds
and　waves　took　the　ship　to　Ithaca；　where　Laertes　gave　sundry　of　his
chattels　for　me；　and　thus　it　was　that　ever　I　came　to　set　eyes　upon
this　country。〃
　　Ulysses　answered；　〃Eumaeus；　I　have　heard　the　story　of　your
misfortunes　with　the　most　lively　interest　and　pity；　but　Jove　has　given
you　good　as　well　as　evil；　for　in　spite　of　everything　you　have　a　good
master；　who　sees　that　you　always　have　enough　to　eat　and　drink；　and　you
lead　a　good　life；　whereas　I　am　still　going　about　begging　my　way　from
city　to　city。〃
　　Thus　did　they　converse；　and　they　had　only　a　very　little　time　left
for　sleep；　for　it　was　soon　daybreak。　In　the　meantime　Telemachus　and
his　crew　were　nearing　land；　so　they　loosed　the　sails；　took　down　the
mast；　and　rowed　the　ship　into　the　harbour。　They　cast　out　their　mooring
stones　and　made　fast　the　hawsers；　they　then　got　out　upon　the　sea
shore；　mixed　their　wine；　and　got　dinner　ready。　As　soon　as　they　had