the odyssey(奥德赛)-第49章

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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　had
enough　to　eat　and　drink　Telemachus　said；　〃Take　the　ship　on　to　the
town；　but　leave　me　here；　for　I　want　to　look　after　the　herdsmen　on
one　of　my　farms。　In　the　evening；　when　I　have　seen　all　I　want；　I　will
come　down　to　the　city；　and　to…morrow　morning　in　return　for　your
trouble　I　will　give　you　all　a　good　dinner　with　meat　and　wine。〃
　　Then　Theoclymenus　said；　'And　what；　my　dear　young　friend；　is　to
become　of　me？　To　whose　house；　among　all　your　chief　men；　am　I　to
repair？　or　shall　I　go　straight　to　your　own　house　and　to　your　mother？〃
　　〃At　any　other　time；〃　replied　Telemachus；　〃I　should　have　bidden　you
go　to　my　own　house；　for　you　would　find　no　want　of　hospitality；　at
the　present　moment；　however；　you　would　not　be　comfortable　there；　for　I
shall　be　away；　and　my　mother　will　not　see　you；　she　does　not　often　show
herself　even　to　the　suitors；　but　sits　at　her　loom　weaving　in　an
upper　chamber；　out　of　their　way；　but　I　can　tell　you　a　man　whose
house　you　can　go　to…　I　mean　Eurymachus　the　son　of　Polybus；　who　is　held
in　the　highest　estimation　by　every　one　in　Ithaca。　He　is　much　the
best　man　and　the　most　persistent　wooer；　of　all　those　who　are　paying
court　to　my　mother　and　trying　to　take　Ulysses'　place。　Jove；　however；
in　heaven　alone　knows　whether　or　no　they　will　come　to　a　bad　end　before
the　marriage　takes　place。〃
　　As　he　was　speaking　a　bird　flew　by　upon　his　right　hand…　a　hawk；
Apollo's　messenger。　It　held　a　dove　in　its　talons；　and　the　feathers；　as
it　tore　them　off；　fell　to　the　ground　midway　between　Telemachus　and　the
ship。　On　this　Theoclymenus　called　him　apart　and　caught　him　by　the
hand。　〃Telemachus；〃　said　he；　〃that　bird　did　not　fly　on　your　right　hand
without　having　been　sent　there　by　some　god。　As　soon　as　I　saw　it　I　knew
it　was　an　omen；　it　means　that　you　will　remain　powerful　and　that
there　will　be　no　house　in　Ithaca　more　royal　than　your　own。〃
　　〃I　wish　it　may　prove　so；〃　answered　Telemachus。　〃If　it　does；　I　will
show　you　so　much　good　will　and　give　you　so　many　presents　that　all
who　meet　you　will　congratulate　you。〃
　　Then　he　said　to　his　friend　Piraeus；　〃Piraeus；　son　of　Clytius；　you
have　throughout　shown　yourself　the　most　willing　to　serve　me　of　all
those　who　have　accompanied　me　to　Pylos；　I　wish　you　would　take　this
stranger　to　your　own　house　and　entertain　him　hospitably　till　I　can
come　for　him。〃
　　And　Piraeus　answered；　〃Telemachus；　you　may　stay　away　as　long　as
you　please；　but　I　will　look　after　him　for　you；　and　he　shall　find　no
lack　of　hospitality。〃
　　As　he　spoke　he　went　on　board；　and　bade　the　others　do　so　also　and
loose　the　hawsers；　so　they　took　their　places　in　the　ship。　But
Telemachus　bound　on　his　sandals；　and　took　a　long　and　doughty　spear
with　a　head　of　sharpened　bronze　from　the　deck　of　the　ship。　Then　they
loosed　the　hawsers；　thrust　the　ship　off　from　land；　and　made　on　towards
the　city　as　they　had　been　told　to　do；　while　Telemachus　strode　on　as
fast　as　he　could；　till　he　reached　the　homestead　where　his　countless
herds　of　swine　were　feeding；　and　where　dwelt　the　excellent
swineherd；　who　was　so　devoted　a　servant　to　his　master。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　BOOK　XVI。
　　MEANWHILE　Ulysses　and　the　swineherd　had　lit　a　fire　in　the　hut　and
were　were　getting　breakfast　ready　at　daybreak　for　they　had　sent　the
men　out　with　the　pigs。　When　Telemachus　came　up；　the　dogs　did　not　bark；
but　fawned　upon　him；　so　Ulysses；　hearing　the　sound　of　feet　and
noticing　that　the　dogs　did　not　bark；　said　to　Eumaeus：
　　〃Eumaeus；　I　hear　footsteps；　I　suppose　one　of　your　men　or　some　one　of
your　acquaintance　is　coming　here；　for　the　dogs　are　fawning　urn　him　and
not　barking。〃
　　The　words　were　hardly　out　of　his　mouth　before　his　son　stood　at　the
door。　Eumaeus　sprang　to　his　feet；　and　the　bowls　in　which　he　was　mixing
wine　fell　from　his　hands；　as　he　made　towards　his　master。　He　kissed　his
head　and　both　his　beautiful　eyes；　and　wept　for　joy。　A　father　could　not
be　more　delighted　at　the　return　of　an　only　son；　the　child　of　his　old
age；　after　ten　years'　absence　in　a　foreign　country　and　after　having
gone　through　much　hardship。　He　embraced　him；　kissed　him　all　over　as
though　he　had　come　back　from　the　dead；　and　spoke　fondly　to　him　saying：
　　〃So　you　are　come；　Telemachus；　light　of　my　eyes　that　you　are。　When
I　heard　you　had　gone　to　Pylos　I　made　sure　I　was　never　going　to　see　you
any　more。　Come　in；　my　dear　child；　and　sit　down；　that　I　may　have　a　good
look　at　you　now　you　are　home　again；　it　is　not　very　often　you　come　into
the　country　to　see　us　herdsmen；　you　stick　pretty　close　to　the　town
generally。　I　suppose　you　think　it　better　to　keep　an　eye　on　what　the
suitors　are　doing。〃
　　〃So　be　it；　old　friend；〃　answered　Telemachus；　〃but　I　am　come　now
because　I　want　to　see　you；　and　to　learn　whether　my　mother　is　still
at　her　old　home　or　whether　some　one　else　has　married　her；　so　that
the　bed　of　Ulysses　is　without　bedding　and　covered　with　cobwebs。〃
　　〃She　is　still　at　the　house；〃　replied　Eumaeus；　〃grieving　and　breaking
her　heart；　and　doing　nothing　but　weep；　both　night　and　day
continually。〃
　　As　spoke　he　took　Telemachus'　spear；　whereon　he　crossed　the　stone
threshold　and　came　inside。　Ulysses　rose　from　his　seat　to　give　him
place　as　he　entered；　but　Telemachus　checked　him；　〃Sit　down；　stranger。〃
said　he；　〃I　can　easily　find　another　seat；　and　there　is　one　here　who
will　lay　it　for　me。〃
　　Ulysses　went　back　to　his　own　place；　and　Eumaeus　strewed　some　green
brushwood　on　the　floor　and　threw　a　sheepskin　on　top　of　it　for
Telemachus　to　sit　upon。　Then　the　swineherd　brought　them　platters　of
cold　meat；　the　remains　from　what　they　had　eaten　the　day　before；　and　he
filled　the　bread　baskets　with　bread　as　fast　as　he　could。　He　mixed　wine
also　in　bowls　of　ivy…wood；　and　took　his　seat　facing　Ulysses。　Then　they
laid　their　hands　on　the　good　things　that　were　before　them；　and　as　soon
as　they　had　had　enough　to　eat　and　drink　Telemachus　said　to　Eumaeus；
〃Old　friend；　where　does　this　stranger　come　from？　How　did　his　crew
bring　him　to　Ithaca；　and　who　were　they？…for　assuredly　he　did　not
come　here　by　land〃'
　　To　this　you　answered；　O　swineherd　Eumaeus；　〃My　son；　I　will　tell
you　the　real　truth。　He　says　he　is　a　Cretan；　and　that　he　has　been　a
great　traveller。　At　this　moment　he　is　running　away　from　a
Thesprotian　ship；　and　has　refuge　at　my　station；　so　I　will　put　him　into
your　hands。　Do　whatever　you　like　with　him；　only　remember　that　he　is
your　suppliant。〃
　　〃I　am　very　much　distressed；〃　said　Telemachus；　〃by　what　you　have　just
told　me。　How　can　I　take　this　stranger　into　my　house？　I　am　as　yet
young；　and　am　not　strong　enough　to　hold　my　own　if　any　man　attacks
me。　My　mother　cannot　make　up　her　mind　whether　to　stay　where　she　is　and
look　after　the　house　out　of　respect　for　public　opinion　and　the
memory　of　her　husband；　or　whether　the　time　is　now　come　for　her　to　take
the　best　man　of　those　who　are　wooing　her；　and　the　one　who　will　make
her　the　most　advantageous　offer；　still；　as　the　stranger　has　come　to
your　station　I　will　find　him　a　cloak　and　shirt　of　good　wear；　with　a
sword　and　sandals；　and　will　send　him　wherever　he　wants　to　go。　Or　if
you　like　you　can　keep　him　here　at　the　station；　and　I　will　send　him
clothes　and　food　that　he　may　be　no　burden　on　you　and　on　your　men；
but　I　will　not　have　him　go　near　the　suitors；　for　they　are　very
insolent；　and　are　sure　to　ill…treat　him　in　a　way　that　would　greatly
grieve　me；　no　matter　how　valiant　a　man　may　be　he　can　do　nothing
against　numbers；　for　they　will　be　too　strong　for　him。〃
　　Then　Ulysses　said；　〃Sir；　it　is　right　that　I　should　say　something
myself。　I　am　much　shocked　about　what　you　have　said　about　the
insolent　way　in　which　the　suitors　are　behaving　in　despite　of　such　a
man　as　you　are。　Tell　me；　do　you　submit　to　such　treatment　tamely；　or
has　some　god　set　your　people　against　you？　May　you　not　complain　of　your
brothers…　for　it　is　to　these　that　a　man　may　look　for　support；
however　great　his　quarrel　may　be？　I　wish　I　were　as　young　as　you　are
and　in　my　present　mind；　if　I　were　son　to　Ulysses；　or；　indeed；
Ulysses　himself；　I　would　rather　some　one　came　and　cut　my　head　off；　but
I　would　go　to　the　house　and　be　the　bane　of　every　one　of　these　men。
If