the odyssey(奥德赛)-第50章

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I　would　go　to　the　house　and　be　the　bane　of　every　one　of　these　men。
If　they　were　too　many　for　me…　I　being　single…handed…　I　would　rather
die　fighting　in　my　own　house　than　see　such　disgraceful　sights　day
after　day；　strangers　grossly　maltreated；　and　men　dragging　the　women
servants　about　the　house　in　an　unseemly　way；　wine　drawn　recklessly；
and　bread　wasted　all　to　no　purpose　for　an　end　that　shall　never　be
accomplished。〃
　　And　Telemachus　answered；　〃I　will　tell　you　truly　everything。　There　is
no　emnity　between　me　and　my　people；　nor　can　I　complain　of　brothers；　to
whom　a　man　may　look　for　support　however　great　his　quarrel　may　be。　Jove
has　made　us　a　race　of　only　sons。　Laertes　was　the　only　son　of
Arceisius；　and　Ulysses　only　son　of　Laertes。　I　am　myself　the　only　son
of　Ulysses　who　left　me　behind　him　when　he　went　away；　so　that　I　have
never　been　of　any　use　to　him。　Hence　it　comes　that　my　house　is　in　the
hands　of　numberless　marauders；　for　the　chiefs　from　all　the
neighbouring　islands；　Dulichium；　Same；　Zacynthus；　as　also　all　the
principal　men　of　Ithaca　itself；　are　eating　up　my　house　under　the
pretext　of　paying　court　to　my　mother；　who　will　neither　say　point　blank
that　she　will　not　marry；　nor　yet　bring　matters　to　an　end；　so　they
are　making　havoc　of　my　estate；　and　before　long　will　do　so　with
myself　into　the　bargain。　The　issue；　however；　rests　with　heaven。　But　do
you；　old　friend　Eumaeus；　go　at　once　and　tell　Penelope　that　I　am　safe
and　have　returned　from　Pylos。　Tell　it　to　herself　alone；　and　then
come　back　here　without　letting　any　one　else　know；　for　there　are　many
who　are　plotting　mischief　against　me。〃
　　〃I　understand　and　heed　you；〃　replied　Eumaeus；　〃you　need　instruct
me　no　further；　only　I　am　going　that　way　say　whether　I　had　not　better
let　poor　Laertes　know　that　you　are　returned。　He　used　to　superintend
the　work　on　his　farm　in　spite　of　his　bitter　sorrow　about　Ulysses；
and　he　would　eat　and　drink　at　will　along　with　his　servants；　but　they
tell　me　that　from　the　day　on　which　you　set　out　for　Pylos　he　has
neither　eaten　nor　drunk　as　he　ought　to　do；　nor　does　he　look　after
his　farm；　but　sits　weeping　and　wasting　the　flesh　from　off　his　bones。〃
　　〃More's　the　pity；〃　answered　Telemachus；　〃I　am　sorry　for　him；　but
we　must　leave　him　to　himself　just　now。　If　people　could　have　everything
their　own　way；　the　first　thing　I　should　choose　would　be　the　return
of　my　father；　but　go；　and　give　your　message；　then　make　haste　back
again；　and　do　not　turn　out　of　your　way　to　tell　Laertes。　Tell　my　mother
to　send　one　of　her　women　secretly　with　the　news　at　once；　and　let　him
hear　it　from　her。〃
　　Thus　did　he　urge　the　swineherd；　Eumaeus；　therefore；　took　his
sandals；　bound　them　to　his　feet；　and　started　for　the　town。　Minerva
watched　him　well　off　the　station；　and　then　came　up　to　it　in　the　form
of　a　woman…　fair；　stately；　and　wise。　She　stood　against　the　side　of　the
entry；　and　revealed　herself　to　Ulysses；　but　Telemachus　could　not　see
her；　and　knew　not　that　she　was　there；　for　the　gods　do　not　let
themselves　be　seen　by　everybody。　Ulysses　saw　her；　and　so　did　the　dogs；
for　they　did　not　bark；　but　went　scared　and　whining　off　to　the　other
side　of　the　yards。　She　nodded　her　head　and　motioned　to　Ulysses　with
her　eyebrows；　whereon　he　left　the　hut　and　stood　before　her　outside　the
main　wall　of　the　yards。　Then　she　said　to　him：
　　〃Ulysses；　noble　son　of　Laertes；　it　is　now　time　for　you　to　tell
your　son：　do　not　keep　him　in　the　dark　any　longer；　but　lay　your　plans
for　the　destruction　of　the　suitors；　and　then　make　for　the　town。　I　will
not　be　long　in　joining　you；　for　I　too　am　eager　for　the　fray。〃
　　As　she　spoke　she　touched　him　with　her　golden　wand。　First　she　threw　a
fair　clean　shirt　and　cloak　about　his　shoulders；　then　she　made　him
younger　and　of　more　imposing　presence；　she　gave　him　back　his　colour；
filled　out　his　cheeks；　and　let　his　beard　become　dark　again。　Then　she
went　away　and　Ulysses　came　back　inside　the　hut。　His　son　was
astounded　when　he　saw　him；　and　turned　his　eyes　away　for　fear　he
might　be　looking　upon　a　god。
　　〃Stranger；〃　said　he；　〃how　suddenly　you　have　changed　from　what　you
were　a　moment　or　two　ago。　You　are　dressed　differently　and　your
colour　is　not　the　same。　Are　you　some　one　or　other　of　the　gods　that
live　in　heaven？　If　so；　be　propitious　to　me　till　I　can　make　you　due
sacrifice　and　offerings　of　wrought　gold。　Have　mercy　upon　me。〃
　　And　Ulysses　said；　〃I　am　no　god；　why　should　you　take　me　for　one？　I　am
your　father；　on　whose　account　you　grieve　and　suffer　so　much　at　the
hands　of　lawless　men。〃
　　As　he　spoke　he　kissed　his　son；　and　a　tear　fell　from　his　cheek　on
to　the　ground；　for　he　had　restrained　all　tears　till　now。　but
Telemachus　could　not　yet　believe　that　it　was　his　father；　and　said：
　　〃You　are　not　my　father；　but　some　god　is　flattering　me　with　vain
hopes　that　I　may　grieve　the　more　hereafter；　no　mortal　man　could　of
himself　contrive　to　do　as　you　have　been　doing；　and　make　yourself　old
and　young　at　a　moment's　notice；　unless　a　god　were　with　him。　A　second
ago　you　were　old　and　all　in　rags；　and　now　you　are　like　some　god　come
down　from　heaven。〃
　　Ulysses　answered；　〃Telemachus；　you　ought　not　to　be　so　immeasurably
astonished　at　my　being　really　here。　There　is　no　other　Ulysses　who　will
come　hereafter。　Such　as　I　am；　it　is　I；　who　after　long　wandering　and
much　hardship　have　got　home　in　the　twentieth　year　to　my　own　country。
What　you　wonder　at　is　the　work　of　the　redoubtable　goddess　Minerva；　who
does　with　me　whatever　she　will；　for　she　can　do　what　she　pleases。　At
one　moment　she　makes　me　like　a　beggar；　and　the　next　I　am　a　young　man
with　good　clothes　on　my　back；　it　is　an　easy　matter　for　the　gods　who
live　in　heaven　to　make　any　man　look　either　rich　or　poor。〃
　　As　he　spoke　he　sat　down；　and　Telemachus　threw　his　arms　about　his
father　and　wept。　They　were　both　so　much　moved　that　they　cried　aloud
like　eagles　or　vultures　with　crooked　talons　that　have　been　robbed　of
their　half　fledged　young　by　peasants。　Thus　piteously　did　they　weep；
and　the　sun　would　have　gone　down　upon　their　mourning　if　Telemachus　had
not　suddenly　said；　〃In　what　ship；　my　dear　father；　did　your　crew
bring　you　to　Ithaca？　Of　what　nation　did　they　declare　themselves　to　be…
for　you　cannot　have　come　by　land？〃
　　〃I　will　tell　you　the　truth；　my　son；〃　replied　Ulysses。　〃It　was　the
Phaeacians　who　brought　me　here。　They　are　great　sailors；　and　are　in　the
habit　of　giving　escorts　to　any　one　who　reaches　their　coasts。　They　took
me　over　the　sea　while　I　was　fast　asleep；　and　landed　me　in　Ithaca；
after　giving　me　many　presents　in　bronze；　gold；　and　raiment。　These
things　by　heaven's　mercy　are　lying　concealed　in　a　cave；　and　I　am　now
come　here　on　the　suggestion　of　Minerva　that　we　may　consult　about
killing　our　enemies。　First；　therefore；　give　me　a　list　of　the
suitors；　with　their　number；　that　I　may　learn　who；　and　how　many；　they
are。　I　can　then　turn　the　matter　over　in　my　mind；　and　see　whether　we
two　can　fight　the　whole　body　of　them　ourselves；　or　whether　we　must
find　others　to　help　us。〃
　　To　this　Telemachus　answered；　〃Father；　I　have　always　heard　of　your
renown　both　in　the　field　and　in　council；　but　the　task　you　talk　of　is　a
very　great　one：　I　am　awed　at　the　mere　thought　of　it；　two　men　cannot
stand　against　many　and　brave　ones。　There　are　not　ten　suitors　only；　nor
twice　ten；　but　ten　many　times　over；　you　shall　learn　their　number　at
once。　There　are　fifty…two　chosen　youths　from　Dulichium；　and　they
have　six　servants；　from　Same　there　are　twenty…four；　twenty　young
Achaeans　from　Zacynthus；　and　twelve　from　Ithaca　itself；　all　of　them
well　born。　They　have　with　them　a　servant　Medon；　a　bard；　and　two　men
who　can　carve　at　table。　If　we　face　such　numbers　as　this；　you　may
have　bitter　cause　to　rue　your　coming；　and　your　revenge。　See　whether
you　cannot　think　of　some　one　who　would　be　willing　to　come　and　help
us。〃
　　〃Listen　to　me；〃　replied　Ulysses；　〃and　think　whether　Minerva　and
her　father　Jove　may　seem　sufficient；　or　whether　I　am　to　try　and　find
some　one　else　as　well。〃
　　〃Those　whom　you　have　named；〃　answered　Telemachus；　〃are　a　couple　of
good　allies；　for　though　they　dwell　high　up　among　the　clouds　they
have　power　over　both　gods　and　men。〃
　　〃These　two；〃　continued　Ulysses；　〃will　not　keep　long　out　of　the　fray；
when　the　suitors　and　we　j