the odyssey(奥德赛)-第54章

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you　go　inside　first　and　join　the　suitors；　leaving　me　here　behind
you；　or　will　you　wait　here　and　let　me　go　in　first？　But　do　not　wait
long；　or　some　one　may　you　loitering　about　outside；　and　throw　something
at　you。　Consider　this　matter　I　pray　you。〃
　　And　Ulysses　answered；　〃I　understand　and　heed。　Go　in　first　and
leave　me　here　where　I　am。　I　am　quite　used　to　being　beaten　and　having
things　thrown　at　me。　I　have　been　so　much　buffeted　about　in　war　and
by　sea　that　I　am　case…hardened；　and　this　too　may　go　with　the　rest。　But
a　man　cannot　hide　away　the　cravings　of　a　hungry　belly；　this　is　an
enemy　which　gives　much　trouble　to　all　men；　it　is　because　of　this
that　ships　are　fitted　out　to　sail　the　seas；　and　to　make　war　upon　other
people。〃
　　As　they　were　thus　talking；　a　dog　that　had　been　lying　asleep　raised
his　head　and　pricked　up　his　ears。　This　was　Argos；　whom　Ulysses　had
bred　before　setting　out　for　Troy；　but　he　had　never　had　any　work　out　of
him。　In　the　old　days　he　used　to　be　taken　out　by　the　young　men　when
they　went　hunting　wild　goats；　or　deer；　or　hares；　but　now　that　his
master　was　gone　he　was　lying　neglected　on　the　heaps　of　mule　and　cow
dung　that　lay　in　front　of　the　stable　doors　till　the　men　should　come
and　draw　it　away　to　manure　the　great　close；　and　he　was　full　of
fleas。　As　soon　as　he　saw　Ulysses　standing　there；　he　dropped　his　ears
and　wagged　his　tail；　but　he　could　not　get　close　up　to　his　master。　When
Ulysses　saw　the　dog　on　the　other　side　of　the　yard；　dashed　a　tear
from　his　eyes　without　Eumaeus　seeing　it；　and　said：
　　〃Eumaeus；　what　a　noble　hound　that　is　over　yonder　on　the　manure　heap：
his　build　is　splendid；　is　he　as　fine　a　fellow　as　he　looks；　or　is　he
only　one　of　those　dogs　that　come　begging　about　a　table；　and　are　kept
merely　for　show？〃
　　〃This　hound；〃　answered　Eumaeus；　〃belonged　to　him　who　has　died　in　a
far　country。　If　he　were　what　he　was　when　Ulysses　left　for　Troy；　he
would　soon　show　you　what　he　could　do。　There　was　not　a　wild　beast　in
the　forest　that　could　get　away　from　him　when　he　was　once　on　its
tracks。　But　now　he　has　fallen　on　evil　times；　for　his　master　is　dead
and　gone；　and　the　women　take　no　care　of　him。　Servants　never　do　their
work　when　their　master's　hand　is　no　longer　over　them；　for　Jove　takes
half　the　goodness　out　of　a　man　when　he　makes　a　slave　of　him。〃
　　As　he　spoke　he　went　inside　the　buildings　to　the　cloister　where　the
suitors　were；　but　Argos　died　as　soon　as　he　had　recognized　his　master。
　　Telemachus　saw　Eumaeus　long　before　any　one　else　did；　and　beckoned
him　to　come　and　sit　beside　him；　so　he　looked　about　and　saw　a　seat
lying　near　where　the　carver　sat　serving　out　their　portions　to　the
suitors；　he　picked　it　up；　brought　it　to　Telemachus's　table；　and　sat
down　opposite　him。　Then　the　servant　brought　him　his　portion；　and
gave　him　bread　from　the　bread…basket。
　　Immediately　afterwards　Ulysses　came　inside；　looking　like　a　poor
miserable　old　beggar；　leaning　on　his　staff　and　with　his　clothes　all　in
rags。　He　sat　down　upon　the　threshold　of　ash…wood　just　inside　the　doors
leading　from　the　outer　to　the　inner　court；　and　against　a
bearing…post　of　cypress…wood　which　the　carpenter　had　skillfully
planed；　and　had　made　to　join　truly　with　rule　and　line。　Telemachus　took
a　whole　loaf　from　the　bread…basket；　with　as　much　meat　as　he　could　hold
in　his　two　hands；　and　said　to　Eumaeus；　〃Take　this　to　the　stranger；　and
tell　him　to　go　the　round　of　the　suitors；　and　beg　from　them；　a　beggar
must　not　be　shamefaced。〃
　　So　Eumaeus　went　up　to　him　and　said；　〃Stranger；　Telemachus　sends
you　this；　and　says　you　are　to　go　the　round　of　the　suitors　begging；　for
beggars　must　not　be　shamefaced。〃
　　Ulysses　answered；　〃May　King　Jove　grant　all　happiness　to
Telemachus；　and　fulfil　the　desire　of　his　heart。〃
　　Then　with　both　hands　he　took　what　Telemachus　had　sent　him；　and
laid　it　on　the　dirty　old　wallet　at　his　feet。　He　went　on　eating　it
while　the　bard　was　singing；　and　had　just　finished　his　dinner　as　he
left　off。　The　suitors　applauded　the　bard；　whereon　Minerva　went　up　to
Ulysses　and　prompted　him　to　beg　pieces　of　bread　from　each　one　of　the
suitors；　that　he　might　see　what　kind　of　people　they　were；　and　tell　the
good　from　the　bad；　but　come　what　might　she　was　not　going　to　save　a
single　one　of　them。　Ulysses；　therefore；　went　on　his　round；　going
from　left　to　right；　and　stretched　out　his　hands　to　beg　as　though　he
were　a　real　beggar。　Some　of　them　pitied　him；　and　were　curious　about
him；　asking　one　another　who　he　was　and　where　he　came　from；　whereon　the
goatherd　Melanthius　said；　〃Suitors　of　my　noble　mistress；　I　can　tell
you　something　about　him；　for　I　have　seen　him　before。　The　swineherd
brought　him　here；　but　I　know　nothing　about　the　man　himself；　nor
where　he　comes　from。〃
　　On　this　Antinous　began　to　abuse　the　swineherd。　〃You　precious　idiot；〃
he　cried；　〃what　have　you　brought　this　man　to　town　for？　Have　we　not
tramps　and　beggars　enough　already　to　pester　us　as　we　sit　at　meat？　Do
you　think　it　a　small　thing　that　such　people　gather　here　to　waste
your　master's　property　and　must　you　needs　bring　this　man　as　well？〃
　　And　Eumaeus　answered；　〃Antinous；　your　birth　is　good　but　your　words
evil。　It　was　no　doing　of　mine　that　he　came　here。　Who　is　likely　to
invite　a　stranger　from　a　foreign　country；　unless　it　be　one　of　those
who　can　do　public　service　as　a　seer；　a　healer　of　hurts；　a　carpenter；
or　a　bard　who　can　charm　us　with　his　Such　men　are　welcome　all　the　world
over；　but　no　one　is　likely　to　ask　a　beggar　who　will　only　worry　him。
You　are　always　harder　on　Ulysses'　servants　than　any　of　the　other
suitors　are；　and　above　all　on　me；　but　I　do　not　care　so　long　as
Telemachus　and　Penelope　are　alive　and　here。〃
　　But　Telemachus　said；　〃Hush；　do　not　answer　him；　Antinous　has　the
bitterest　tongue　of　all　the　suitors；　and　he　makes　the　others　worse。〃
　　Then　turning　to　Antinous　he　said；　〃Antinous；　you　take　as　much　care
of　my　interests　as　though　I　were　your　son。　Why　should　you　want　to
see　this　stranger　turned　out　of　the　house？　Heaven　forbid；　take'
something　and　give　it　him　yourself；　I　do　not　grudge　it；　I　bid　you　take
it。　Never　mind　my　mother；　nor　any　of　the　other　servants　in　the
house；　but　I　know　you　will　not　do　what　I　say；　for　you　are　more　fond　of
eating　things　yourself　than　of　giving　them　to　other　people。〃
　　〃What　do　you　mean；　Telemachus；〃　replied　Antinous；　〃by　this
swaggering　talk？　If　all　the　suitors　were　to　give　him　as　much　as　I
will；　he　would　not　come　here　again　for　another　three　months。〃
　　As　he　spoke　he　drew　the　stool　on　which　he　rested　his　dainty　feet
from　under　the　table；　and　made　as　though　he　would　throw　it　at　Ulysses；
but　the　other　suitors　all　gave　him　something；　and　filled　his　wallet
with　bread　and　meat；　he　was　about；　therefore；　to　go　back　to　the
threshold　and　eat　what　the　suitors　had　given　him；　but　he　first　went　up
to　Antinous　and　said：
　　〃Sir；　give　me　something；　you　are　not；　surely；　the　poorest　man
here；　you　seem　to　be　a　chief；　foremost　among　them　all；　therefore　you
should　be　the　better　giver；　and　I　will　tell　far　and　wide　of　your
bounty。　I　too　was　a　rich　man　once；　and　had　a　fine　house　of　my　own；
in　those　days　I　gave　to　many　a　tramp　such　as　I　now　am；　no　matter　who
he　might　be　nor　what　he　wanted。　I　had　any　number　of　servants；　and
all　the　other　things　which　people　have　who　live　well　and　are　accounted
wealthy；　but　it　pleased　Jove　to　take　all　away　from　me。　He　sent　me　with
a　band　of　roving　robbers　to　Egypt；　it　was　a　long　voyage　and　I　was
undone　by　it。　I　stationed　my　bade　ships　in　the　river　Aegyptus；　and
bade　my　men　stay　by　them　and　keep　guard　over　them；　while　sent　out
scouts　to　reconnoitre　from　every　point　of　vantage。
　　〃But　the　men　disobeyed　my　orders；　took　to　their　own　devices；　and
ravaged　the　land　of　the　Egyptians；　killing　the　men；　and　taking　their
wives　and　children　captives。　The　alarm　was　soon　carried　to　the　city；
and　when　they　heard　the　war…cry；　the　people　came　out　at　daybreak
till　the　plain　was　filled　with　soldiers　horse　and　foot；　and　with　the
gleam　of　armour。　Then　Jove　spread　panic　among　my　men；　and　they　would
no　longer　face　the　enemy；　for　they　found　themselves　surrounded。　The
Egyptians　killed　many　of　us；　and　took　the　rest　alive　to　do　forced
labour　for　them；　as　for　myself；　they　gave　me　to　a　friend　who　met　them；
to　take　to