the odyssey(奥德赛)-第56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！


bring　them　to　a　bad　end　before　they　do　us　a　mischief。〃
　　〃Very　well；〃　replied　Telemachus；　〃go　home　when　you　have　had　your
dinner；　and　in　the　morning　come　here　with　the　victims　we　are　to
sacrifice　for　the　day。　Leave　the　rest　to　heaven　and　me。〃
　　On　this　Eumaeus　took　his　seat　again；　and　when　he　had　finished　his
dinner　he　left　the　courts　and　the　cloister　with　the　men　at　table；
and　went　back　to　his　pigs。　As　for　the　suitors；　they　presently　began　to
amuse　themselves　with　singing　and　dancing；　for　it　was　now　getting　on
towards　evening。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　BOOK　XVIII。
　　NOW　there　came　a　certain　common　tramp　who　used　to　go　begging　all
over　the　city　of　Ithaca；　and　was　notorious　as　an　incorrigible
glutton　and　drunkard。　This　man　had　no　strength　nor　stay　in　him；　but　he
was　a　great　hulking　fellow　to　look　at；　his　real　name；　the　one　his
mother　gave　him；　was　Arnaeus；　but　the　young　men　of　the　place　called
him　Irus；　because　he　used　to　run　errands　for　any　one　who　would　send
him。　As　soon　as　he　came　he　began　to　insult　Ulysses；　and　to　try　and
drive　him　out　of　his　own　house。
　　〃Be　off；　old　man；〃　he　cried；　〃from　the　doorway；　or　you　shall　be
dragged　out　neck　and　heels。　Do　you　not　see　that　they　are　all　giving　me
the　wink；　and　wanting　me　to　turn　you　out　by　force；　only　I　do　not
like　to　do　so？　Get　up　then；　and　go　of　yourself；　or　we　shall　come　to
blows。〃
　　Ulysses　frowned　on　him　and　said；　〃My　friend；　I　do　you　no　manner　of
harm；　people　give　you　a　great　deal；　but　I　am　not　jealous。　There　is
room　enough　in　this　doorway　for　the　pair　of　us；　and　you　need　not
grudge　me　things　that　are　not　yours　to　give。　You　seem　to　be　just
such　another　tramp　as　myself；　but　perhaps　the　gods　will　give　us　better
luck　by　and　by。　Do　not；　however；　talk　too　much　about　fighting　or　you
will　incense　me；　and　old　though　I　am；　I　shall　cover　your　mouth　and
chest　with　blood。　I　shall　have　more　peace　to…morrow　if　I　do；　for　you
will　not　come　to　the　house　of　Ulysses　any　more。〃
　　Irus　was　very　angry　and　answered；　〃You　filthy　glutton；　you　run　on
trippingly　like　an　old　fish…fag。　I　have　a　good　mind　to　lay　both
hands　about　you；　and　knock　your　teeth　out　of　your　head　like　so　many
boar's　tusks。　Get　ready；　therefore；　and　let　these　people　here　stand　by
and　look　on。　You　will　never　be　able　to　fight　one　who　is　so　much
younger　than　yourself。〃
　　Thus　roundly　did　they　rate　one　another　on　the　smooth　pavement　in
front　of　the　doorway；　and　when　Antinous　saw　what　was　going　on　he
laughed　heartily　and　said　to　the　others；　〃This　is　the　finest　sport
that　you　ever　saw；　heaven　never　yet　sent　anything　like　it　into　this
house。　The　stranger　and　Irus　have　quarreled　and　are　going　to　fight；
let　us　set　them　on　to　do　so　at　once。〃
　　The　suitors　all　came　up　laughing；　and　gathered　round　the　two
ragged　tramps。　〃Listen　to　me；〃　said　Antinous；　〃there　are　some　goats'
paunches　down　at　the　fire；　which　we　have　filled　with　blood　and　fat；
and　set　aside　for　supper；　he　who　is　victorious　and　proves　himself　to
be　the　better　man　shall　have　his　pick　of　the　lot；　he　shall　be　free
of　our　table　and　we　will　not　allow　any　other　beggar　about　the　house　at
all。〃
　　The　others　all　agreed；　but　Ulysses；　to　throw　them　off　the　scent；
said；　〃Sirs；　an　old　man　like　myself；　worn　out　with　suffering；　cannot
hold　his　own　against　a　young　one；　but　my　irrepressible　belly　urges
me　on；　though　I　know　it　can　only　end　in　my　getting　a　drubbing。　You
must　swear；　however　that　none　of　you　will　give　me　a　foul　blow　to
favour　Irus　and　secure　him　the　victory。〃
　　They　swore　as　he　told　them；　and　when　they　had　completed　their　oath
Telemachus　put　in　a　word　and　said；　〃Stranger；　if　you　have　a　mind　to
settle　with　this　fellow；　you　need　not　be　afraid　of　any　one　here。
Whoever　strikes　you　will　have　to　fight　more　than　one。　I　am　host；　and
the　other　chiefs；　Antinous　and　Eurymachus；　both　of　them　men　of
understanding；　are　of　the　same　mind　as　I　am。〃
　　Every　one　assented；　and　Ulysses　girded　his　old　rags　about　his　loins；
thus　baring　his　stalwart　thighs；　his　broad　chest　and　shoulders；　and
his　mighty　arms；　but　Minerva　came　up　to　him　and　made　his　limbs　even
stronger　still。　The　suitors　were　beyond　measure　astonished；　and　one
would　turn　towards　his　neighbour　saying；　〃The　stranger　has　brought
such　a　thigh　out　of　his　old　rags　that　there　will　soon　be　nothing
left　of　Irus。〃
　　Irus　began　to　be　very　uneasy　as　he　heard　them；　but　the　servants
girded　him　by　force；　and　brought　him　＇into　the　open　part　of　the　court＇
in　such　a　fright　that　his　limbs　were　all　of　a　tremble。　Antinous
scolded　him　and　said；　〃You　swaggering　bully；　you　ought　never　to　have
been　born　at　all　if　you　are　afraid　of　such　an　old　broken…down　creature
as　this　tramp　is。　I　say；　therefore…　and　it　shall　surely　be…　if　he
beats　you　and　proves　himself　the　better　man；　I　shall　pack　you　off　on
board　ship　to　the　mainland　and　send　you　to　king　Echetus；　who　kills
every　one　that　comes　near　him。　He　will　cut　off　your　nose　and　ears；　and
draw　out　your　entrails　for　the　dogs　to　eat。〃
　　This　frightened　Irus　still　more；　but　they　brought　him　into　the
middle　of　the　court；　and　the　two　men　raised　their　hands　to　fight。　Then
Ulysses　considered　whether　he　should　let　drive　so　hard　at　him　as　to
make　an　end　of　him　then　and　there；　or　whether　he　should　give　him　a
lighter　blow　that　should　only　knock　him　down；　in　the　end　he　deemed
it　best　to　give　the　lighter　blow　for　fear　the　Achaeans　should　begin　to
suspect　who　he　was。　Then　they　began　to　fight；　and　Irus　hit　Ulysses
on　the　right　shoulder；　but　Ulysses　gave　Irus　a　blow　on　the　neck
under　the　ear　that　broke　in　the　bones　of　his　skull；　and　the　blood　came
gushing　out　of　his　mouth；　he　fell　groaning　in　the　dust；　gnashing　his
teeth　and　kicking　on　the　ground；　but　the　suitors　threw　up　their
hands　and　nearly　died　of　laughter；　as　Ulysses　caught　hold　of　him　by
the　foot　and　dragged　him　into　the　outer　court　as　far　as　the
gate…house。　There　he　propped　him　up　against　the　wall　and　put　his　staff
in　his　hands。　〃Sit　here；〃　said　he；　〃and　keep　the　dogs　and　pigs　off；
you　are　a　pitiful　creature；　and　if　you　try　to　make　yourself　king　of
the　beggars　any　more　you　shall　fare　still　worse。〃
　　Then　he　threw　his　dirty　old　wallet；　all　tattered　and　torn；　over
his　shoulder　with　the　cord　by　which　it　hung；　and　went　back　to　sit　down
upon　the　threshold；　but　the　suitors　went　within　the　cloisters；
laughing　and　saluting　him；　〃May　Jove；　and　all　the　other　gods；〃　said
they；　'grant　you　whatever　you　want　for　having　put　an　end　to　the
importunity　of　this　insatiable　tramp。　We　will　take　him　over　to　the
mainland　presently；　to　king　Echetus；　who　kills　every　one　that　comes
near　him。〃
　　Ulysses　hailed　this　as　of　good　omen；　and　Antinous　set　a　great　goat's
paunch　before　him　filled　with　blood　and　fat。　Amphinomus　took　two
loaves　out　of　the　bread…basket　and　brought　them　to　him；　pledging　him
as　he　did　so　in　a　golden　goblet　of　wine。　〃Good　luck　to　you；〃　he
said；　〃father　stranger；　you　are　very　badly　off　at　present；　but　I
hope　you　will　have　better　times　by　and　by。〃
　　To　this　Ulysses　answered；　〃Amphinomus；　you　seem　to　be　a　man　of
good　understanding；　as　indeed　you　may　well　be；　seeing　whose　son　you
are。　I　have　heard　your　father　well　spoken　of；　he　is　Nisus　of
Dulichium；　a　man　both　brave　and　wealthy。　They　tell　me　you　are　his　son；
and　you　appear　to　be　a　considerable　person；　listen；　therefore；　and
take　heed　to　what　I　am　saying。　Man　is　the　vainest　of　all　creatures
that　have　their　being　upon　earth。　As　long　as　heaven　vouchsafes　him
health　and　strength；　he　thinks　that　he　shall　come　to　no　harm
hereafter；　and　even　when　the　blessed　gods　bring　sorrow　upon　him；　he
bears　it　as　he　needs　must；　and　makes　the　best　of　it；　for　God
Almighty　gives　men　their　daily　minds　day　by　day。　I　know　all　about
it；　for　I　was　a　rich　man　once；　and　did　much　wrong　in　the
stubbornness　of　my　pride；　and　in　the　confidence　that　my　father　and
my　brothers　would　support　me；　therefore　let　a　man　fear　God　in　all
things　always；　and　take　the　good　that　heaven　may　see　fit　to　send　him
without　vainglory。　Consider　the　infamy　of　what　these　suitors　are
doing；　see　how　they　are　wasting　the　estate；　and　doing　dishonour　to　the
wife；　of　one　who　is　certain　to　return　some　day；　and　that；　too；　not
long　hence。　Nay；　he　will　be　here　soon；　may　heaven　send　you　home
quietly