the odyssey(奥德赛)-第57章

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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　first　that　you　may　not　meet　with　him　in　the　day　of　his　coming；
for　once　he　is　here　the　suitors　and　he　will　not　part　bloodlessly。〃
　　With　these　words　he　made　a　drink…offering；　and　when　he　had　drunk
he　put　the　gold　cup　again　into　the　hands　of　Amphinomus；　who　walked
away　serious　and　bowing　his　head；　for　he　foreboded　evil。　But　even　so
he　did　not　escape　destruction；　for　Minerva　had　doomed　him　fall　by
the　hand　of　Telemachus。　So　he　took　his　seat　again　at　the　place　from
which　he　had　come。
　　Then　Minerva　put　it　into　the　mind　of　Penelope　to　show　herself　to　the
suitors；　that　she　might　make　them　still　more　enamoured　of　her；　and　win
still　further　honour　from　her　son　and　husband。　So　she　feigned　a
mocking　laugh　and　said；　〃Eurynome；　I　have　changed　my　and　have　a
fancy　to　show　myself　to　the　suitors　although　I　detest　them。　I　should
like　also　to　give　my　son　a　hint　that　he　had　better　not　have　anything
more　to　do　with　them。　They　speak　fairly　enough　but　they　mean
mischief。〃
　　〃My　dear　child；〃　answered　Eurynome；　〃all　that　you　have　said　is　true；
go　and　tell　your　son　about　it；　but　first　wash　yourself　and　anoint　your
face。　Do　not　go　about　with　your　cheeks　all　covered　with　tears；　it　is
not　right　that　you　should　grieve　so　incessantly；　for　Telemachus；
whom　you　always　prayed　that　you　might　live　to　see　with　a　beard；　is
already　grown　up。〃
　　〃I　know；　Eurynome；〃　replied　Penelope；　〃that　you　mean　well；　but　do
not　try　and　persuade　me　to　wash　and　to　anoint　myself；　for　heaven
robbed　me　of　all　my　beauty　on　the　day　my　husband　sailed；　nevertheless；
tell　Autonoe　and　Hippodamia　that　I　want　them。　They　must　be　with　me
when　I　am　in　the　cloister；　I　am　not　going　among　the　men　alone；　it
would　not　be　proper　for　me　to　do　so。〃
　　On　this　the　old　woman　went　out　of　the　room　to　bid　the　maids　go　to
their　mistress。　In　the　meantime　Minerva　bethought　her　of　another
matter；　and　sent　Penelope　off　into　a　sweet　slumber；　so　she　lay　down　on
her　couch　and　her　limbs　became　heavy　with　sleep。　Then　the　goddess　shed
grace　and　beauty　over　her　that　all　the　Achaeans　might　admire　her。
She　washed　her　face　with　the　ambrosial　loveliness　that　Venus　wears
when　she　goes　dancing　with　the　Graces；　she　made　her　taller　and　of　a
more　commanding　figure；　while　as　for　her　complexion　it　was　whiter　than
sawn　ivory。　When　Minerva　had　done　all　this　she　went　away；　whereon
the　maids　came　in　from　the　women's　room　and　woke　Penelope　with　the
sound　of　their　talking。
　　〃What　an　exquisitely　delicious　sleep　I　have　been　having；〃　said
she；　as　she　passed　her　hands　over　her　face；　〃in　spite　of　all　my
misery。　I　wish　Diana　would　let　me　die　so　sweetly　now　at　this　very
moment；　that　I　might　no　longer　waste　in　despair　for　the　loss　of　my
dear　husband；　who　possessed　every　kind　of　good　quality　and　was　the
most　distinguished　man　among　the　Achaeans。〃
　　With　these　words　she　came　down　from　her　upper　room；　not　alone　but
attended　by　two　of　her　maidens；　and　when　she　reached　the　suitors　she
stood　by　one　of　the　bearing…posts　supporting　the　roof　of　the　cloister；
holding　a　veil　before　her　face；　and　with　a　staid　maid　servant　on
either　side　of　her。　As　they　beheld　her　the　suitors　were　so　overpowered
and　became　so　desperately　enamoured　of　her；　that　each　one　prayed　he
might　win　her　for　his　own　bed　fellow。
　　〃Telemachus；〃　said　she；　addressing　her　son；　〃I　fear　you　are　no
longer　so　discreet　and　well　conducted　as　you　used　to　be。　When　you　were
younger　you　had　a　greater　sense　of　propriety；　now；　however；　that　you
are　grown　up；　though　a　stranger　to　look　at　you　would　take　you　for
the　son　of　a　well…to…do　father　as　far　as　size　and　good　looks　go；
your　conduct　is　by　no　means　what　it　should　be。　What　is　all　this
disturbance　that　has　been　going　on；　and　how　came　you　to　allow　a
stranger　to　be　so　disgracefully　ill…treated？　What　would　have
happened　if　he　had　suffered　serious　injury　while　a　suppliant　in　our
house？　Surely　this　would　have　been　very　discreditable　to　you。〃
　　〃I　am　not　surprised；　my　dear　mother；　at　your　displeasure；〃　replied
Telemachus；　〃I　understand　all　about　it　and　know　when　things　are　not　as
they　should　be；　which　I　could　not　do　when　I　was　younger；　I　cannot；
however；　behave　with　perfect　propriety　at　all　times。　First　one　and
then　another　of　these　wicked　people　here　keeps　driving　me　out　of　my
mind；　and　I　have　no　one　to　stand　by　me。　After　all；　however；　this　fight
between　Irus　and　the　stranger　did　not　turn　out　as　the　suitors　meant　it
to　do；　for　the　stranger　got　the　best　of　it。　I　wish　Father　Jove；
Minerva；　and　Apollo　would　break　the　neck　of　every　one　of　these
wooers　of　yours；　some　inside　the　house　and　some　out；　and　I　wish　they
might　all　be　as　limp　as　Irus　is　over　yonder　in　the　gate　of　the　outer
court。　See　how　he　nods　his　head　like　a　drunken　man；　he　has　had　such
a　thrashing　that　he　cannot　stand　on　his　feet　nor　get　back　to　his　home；
wherever　that　may　be；　for　has　no　strength　left　in　him。〃
　　Thus　did　they　converse。　Eurymachus　then　came　up　and　said；　〃Queen
Penelope；　daughter　of　Icarius；　if　all　the　Achaeans　in　Iasian　Argos
could　see　you　at　this　moment；　you　would　have　still　more　suitors　in
your　house　by　tomorrow　morning；　for　you　are　the　most　admirable　woman
in　the　whole　world　both　as　regards　personal　beauty　and　strength　of
understanding。〃
　　To　this　Penelope　replied；　〃Eurymachus；　heaven　robbed　me　of　all　my
beauty　whether　of　face　or　figure　when　the　Argives　set　sail　for　Troy
and　my　dear　husband　with　them。　If　he　were　to　return　and　look　after
my　affairs；　I　should　both　be　more　respected　and　show　a　better　presence
to　the　world。　As　it　is；　I　am　oppressed　with　care；　and　with　the
afflictions　which　heaven　has　seen　fit　to　heap　upon　me。　My　husband
foresaw　it　all；　and　when　he　was　leaving　home　he　took　my　right　wrist　in
his　hand…　'Wife；　'he　said；　'we　shall　not　all　of　us　come　safe　home
from　Troy；　for　the　Trojans　fight　well　both　with　bow　and　spear。　They
are　excellent　also　at　fighting　from　chariots；　and　nothing　decides
the　issue　of　a　fight　sooner　than　this。　I　know　not；　therefore；
whether　heaven　will　send　me　back　to　you；　or　whether　I　may　not　fall
over　there　at　Troy。　In　the　meantime　do　you　look　after　things　here。
Take　care　of　my　father　and　mother　as　at　present；　and　even　more　so
during　my　absence；　but　when　you　see　our　son　growing　a　beard；　then
marry　whom　you　will；　and　leave　this　your　present　home。　This　is　what　he
said　and　now　it　is　all　coming　true。　A　night　will　come　when　I　shall
have　to　yield　myself　to　a　marriage　which　I　detest；　for　Jove　has
taken　from　me　all　hope　of　happiness。　This　further　grief；　moreover；
cuts　me　to　the　very　heart。　You　suitors　are　not　wooing　me　after　the
custom　of　my　country。　When　men　are　courting　a　woman　who　they　think
will　be　a　good　wife　to　them　and　who　is　of　noble　birth；　and　when　they
are　each　trying　to　win　her　for　himself；　they　usually　bring　oxen　and
sheep　to　feast　the　friends　of　the　lady；　and　they　make　her
magnificent　presents；　instead　of　eating　up　other　people's　property
without　paying　for　it。〃
　　This　was　what　she　said；　and　Ulysses　was　glad　when　he　heard　her
trying　to　get　presents　out　of　the　suitors；　and　flattering　them　with
fair　words　which　he　knew　she　did　not　mean。
　　Then　Antinous　said；　〃Queen　Penelope；　daughter　of　Icarius；　take　as
many　presents　as　you　please　from　any　one　who　will　give　them　to　you；　it
is　not　well　to　refuse　a　present；　but　we　will　not　go　about　our　business
nor　stir　from　where　we　are；　till　you　have　married　the　best　man　among
us　whoever　he　may　be。〃
　　The　others　applauded　what　Antinous　had　said；　and　each　one　sent　his
servant　to　bring　his　present。　Antinous's　man　returned　with　a　large　and
lovely　dress　most　exquisitely　embroidered。　It　had　twelve　beautifully
made　brooch　pins　of　pure　gold　with　which　to　fasten　it。　Eurymachus
immediately　brought　her　a　magnificent　chain　of　gold　and　amber　beads
that　gleamed　like　sunlight。　Eurydamas's　two　men　returned　with　some
earrings　fashioned　into　three　brilliant　pendants　which　glistened
most　beautifully；　while　king　Pisander　son　of　Polyctor　gave　her　a
necklace　of　the　rarest　workmanship；　and　every　one　else　brought　her　a
beautiful　present　of　some　kind。
　　Then　the　queen　went　back　to　he