the odyssey(奥德赛)-第55章

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labour　for　them；　as　for　myself；　they　gave　me　to　a　friend　who　met　them；
to　take　to　Cyprus；　Dmetor　by　name；　son　of　Iasus；　who　was　a　great　man
in　Cyprus。　Thence　I　am　come　hither　in　a　state　of　great　misery。〃
　　Then　Antinous　said；　〃What　god　can　have　sent　such　a　pestilence　to
plague　us　during　our　dinner？　Get　out；　into　the　open　part　of　the　court；
or　I　will　give　you　Egypt　and　Cyprus　over　again　for　your　insolence
and　importunity；　you　have　begged　of　all　the　others；　and　they　have
given　you　lavishly；　for　they　have　abundance　round　them；　and　it　is　easy
to　be　free　with　other　people's　property　when　there　is　plenty　of　it。〃
　　On　this　Ulysses　began　to　move　off；　and　said；　〃Your　looks；　my　fine
sir；　are　better　than　your　breeding；　if　you　were　in　your　own　house
you　would　not　spare　a　poor　man　so　much　as　a　pinch　of　salt；　for
though　you　are　in　another　man's；　and　surrounded　with　abundance；　you
cannot　find　it　in　you　to　give　him　even　a　piece　of　bread。〃
　　This　made　Antinous　very　angry；　and　he　scowled　at　him　saying；　〃You
shall　pay　for　this　before　you　get　clear　of　the　court。〃　With　these
words　he　threw　a　footstool　at　him；　and　hit　him　on　the　right
shoulder…blade　near　the　top　of　his　back。　Ulysses　stood　firm　as　a
rock　and　the　blow　did　not　even　stagger　him；　but　he　shook　his　head　in
silence　as　he　brooded　on　his　revenge。　Then　he　went　back　to　the
threshold　and　sat　down　there；　laying　his　well…filled　wallet　at　his
feet。
　　〃Listen　to　me；〃　he　cried；　〃you　suitors　of　Queen　Penelope；　that　I　may
speak　even　as　I　am　minded。　A　man　knows　neither　ache　nor　pain　if　he
gets　hit　while　fighting　for　his　money；　or　for　his　sheep　or　his　cattle；
and　even　so　Antinous　has　hit　me　while　in　the　service　of　my　miserable
belly；　which　is　always　getting　people　into　trouble。　Still；　if　the　poor
have　gods　and　avenging　deities　at　all；　I　pray　them　that　Antinous　may
come　to　a　bad　end　before　his　marriage。〃
　　〃Sit　where　you　are；　and　eat　your　victuals　in　silence；　or　be　off
elsewhere；〃　shouted　Antinous。　〃If　you　say　more　I　will　have　you　dragged
hand　and　foot　through　the　courts；　and　the　servants　shall　flay　you
alive。〃
　　The　other　suitors　were　much　displeased　at　this；　and　one　of　the　young
men　said；　〃Antinous；　you　did　ill　in　striking　that　poor　wretch　of　a
tramp：　it　will　be　worse　for　you　if　he　should　turn　out　to　be　some
god…　and　we　know　the　gods　go　about　disguised　in　all　sorts　of　ways　as
people　from　foreign　countries；　and　travel　about　the　world　to　see　who
do　amiss　and　who　righteously。〃
　　Thus　said　the　suitors；　but　Antinous　paid　them　no　heed。　Meanwhile
Telemachus　was　furious　about　the　blow　that　had　been　given　to　his
father；　and　though　no　tear　fell　from　him；　he　shook　his　head　in　silence
and　brooded　on　his　revenge。
　　Now　when　Penelope　heard　that　the　beggar　had　been　struck　in　the
banqueting…cloister；　she　said　before　her　maids；　〃Would　that　Apollo
would　so　strike　you；　Antinous；〃　and　her　waiting　woman　Eurynome
answered；　〃If　our　prayers　were　answered　not　one　of　the　suitors　would
ever　again　see　the　sun　rise。〃　Then　Penelope　said；　〃Nurse；　I　hate　every
single　one　of　them；　for　they　mean　nothing　but　mischief；　but　I　hate
Antinous　like　the　darkness　of　death　itself。　A　poor　unfortunate　tramp
has　come　begging　about　the　house　for　sheer　want。　Every　one　else　has
given　him　something　to　put　in　his　wallet；　but　Antinous　has　hit　him
on　the　right　shoulder…blade　with　a　footstool。〃
　　Thus　did　she　talk　with　her　maids　as　she　sat　in　her　own　room；　and
in　the　meantime　Ulysses　was　getting　his　dinner。　Then　she　called　for
the　swineherd　and　said；　〃Eumaeus；　go　and　tell　the　stranger　to　come
here；　I　want　to　see　him　and　ask　him　some　questions。　He　seems　to　have
travelled　much；　and　he　may　have　seen　or　heard　something　of　my
unhappy　husband。〃
　　To　this　you　answered；　O　swineherd　Eumaeus；　〃If　these　Achaeans；
Madam；　would　only　keep　quiet；　you　would　be　charmed　with　the　history　of
his　adventures。　I　had　him　three　days　and　three　nights　with　me　in　my
hut；　which　was　the　first　place　he　reached　after　running　away　from
his　ship；　and　he　has　not　yet　completed　the　story　of　his　misfortunes。
If　he　had　been　the　most　heaven…taught　minstrel　in　the　whole　world；
on　whose　lips　all　hearers　hang　entranced；　I　could　not　have　been　more
charmed　as　I　sat　in　my　hut　and　listened　to　him。　He　says　there　is　an
old　friendship　between　his　house　and　that　of　Ulysses；　and　that　he
comes　from　Crete　where　the　descendants　of　Minos　live；　after　having
been　driven　hither　and　thither　by　every　kind　of　misfortune；　he　also
declares　that　he　has　heard　of　Ulysses　as　being　alive　and　near　at
hand　among　the　Thesprotians；　and　that　he　is　bringing　great　wealth　home
with　him。〃
　　〃Call　him　here；　then；〃　said　Penelope；　〃that　I　too　may　hear　his
story。　As　for　the　suitors；　let　them　take　their　pleasure　indoors　or　out
as　they　will；　for　they　have　nothing　to　fret　about。　Their　corn　and　wine
remain　unwasted　in　their　houses　with　none　but　servants　to　consume
them；　while　they　keep　hanging　about　our　house　day　after　day
sacrificing　our　oxen；　sheep；　and　fat　goats　for　their　banquets；　and
never　giving　so　much　as　a　thought　to　the　quantity　of　wine　they
drink。　No　estate　can　stand　such　recklessness；　for　we　have　now　no
Ulysses　to　protect　us。　If　he　were　to　come　again；　he　and　his　son
would　soon　have　their　revenge。〃
　　As　she　spoke　Telemachus　sneezed　so　loudly　that　the　whole　house
resounded　with　it。　Penelope　laughed　when　she　heard　this；　and　said　to
Eumaeus；　〃Go　and　call　the　stranger；　did　you　not　hear　how　my　son
sneezed　just　as　I　was　speaking？　This　can　only　mean　that　all　the
suitors　are　going　to　be　killed；　and　that　not　one　of　them　shall　escape。
Furthermore　I　say；　and　lay　my　saying　to　your　heart：　if　I　am
satisfied　that　the　stranger　is　speaking　the　truth　I　shall　give　him　a
shirt　and　cloak　of　good　wear。〃
　　When　Eumaeus　heard　this　he　went　straight　to　Ulysses　and　said；
〃Father　stranger；　my　mistress　Penelope；　mother　of　Telemachus；　has　sent
for　you；　she　is　in　great　grief；　but　she　wishes　to　hear　anything　you
can　tell　her　about　her　husband；　and　if　she　is　satisfied　that　you　are
speaking　the　truth；　she　will　give　you　a　shirt　and　cloak；　which　are　the
very　things　that　you　are　most　in　want　of。　As　for　bread；　you　can　get
enough　of　that　to　fill　your　belly；　by　begging　about　the　town；　and
letting　those　give　that　will。〃
　　〃I　will　tell　Penelope；〃　answered　Ulysses；　〃nothing　but　what　is
strictly　true。　I　know　all　about　her　husband；　and　have　been　partner
with　him　in　affliction；　but　I　am　afraid　of　passing。　through　this　crowd
of　cruel　suitors；　for　their　pride　and　insolence　reach　heaven。　Just
now；　moreover；　as　I　was　going　about　the　house　without　doing　any
harm；　a　man　gave　me　a　blow　that　hurt　me　very　much；　but　neither
Telemachus　nor　any　one　else　defended　me。　Tell　Penelope；　therefore；
to　be　patient　and　wait　till　sundown。　Let　her　give　me　a　seat　close　up
to　the　fire；　for　my　clothes　are　worn　very　thin…　you　know　they　are；　for
you　have　seen　them　ever　since　I　first　asked　you　to　help　me…　she　can
then　ask　me　about　the　return　of　her　husband。〃
　　The　swineherd　went　back　when　he　heard　this；　and　Penelope　said　as　she
saw　him　cross　the　threshold；　〃Why　do　you　not　bring　him　here；
Eumaeus？　Is　he　afraid　that　some　one　will　ill…treat　him；　or　is　he　shy
of　coming　inside　the　house　at　all？　Beggars　should　not　be　shamefaced。〃
　　To　this　you　answered；　O　swineherd　Eumaeus；　〃The　stranger　is　quite
reasonable。　He　is　avoiding　the　suitors；　and　is　only　doing　what　any　one
else　would　do。　He　asks　you　to　wait　till　sundown；　and　it　will　be　much
better；　madam；　that　you　should　have　him　all　to　yourself；　when　you
can　hear　him　and　talk　to　him　as　you　will。〃
　　〃The　man　is　no　fool；〃　answered　Penelope；　〃it　would　very　likely　be　as
he　says；　for　there　are　no　such　abominable　people　in　the　whole　world　as
these　men　are。〃
　　When　she　had　done　speaking　Eumaeus　went　back　to　the　suitors；　for
he　had　explained　everything。　Then　he　went　up　to　Telemachus　and　said　in
his　ear　so　that　none　could　overhear　him；　〃My　dear　sir；　I　will　now　go
back　to　the　pigs；　to　see　after　your　property　and　my　own　business。
You　will　look　to　what　is　going　on　here；　but　above　all　be　careful　to
keep　out　of　danger；　for　there　are　many　who　bear　you　ill　will。　May　Jove
bring　them　to　a　bad　end　before　they　do　us　a　mischief。〃
　　〃Very　well；〃　replied　Telemachus；　〃go