the odyssey(奥德赛)-第58章

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beautiful　present　of　some　kind。
　　Then　the　queen　went　back　to　her　room　upstairs；　and　her　maids　brought
the　presents　after　her。　Meanwhile　the　suitors　took　to　singing　and
dancing；　and　stayed　till　evening　came。　They　danced　and　sang　till　it
grew　dark；　they　then　brought　in　three　braziers　to　give　light；　and
piled　them　up　with　chopped　firewood　very　and　dry；　and　they　lit　torches
from　them；　which　the　maids　held　up　turn　and　turn　about。　Then　Ulysses
said：
　　〃Maids；　servants　of　Ulysses　who　has　so　long　been　absent；　go　to　the
queen　inside　the　house；　sit　with　her　and　amuse　her；　or　spin；　and
pick　wool。　I　will　hold　the　light　for　all　these　people。　They　may　stay
till　morning；　but　shall　not　beat　me；　for　I　can　stand　a　great　deal。〃
　　The　maids　looked　at　one　another　and　laughed；　while　pretty　Melantho
began　to　gibe　at　him　contemptuously。　She　was　daughter　to　Dolius；　but
had　been　brought　up　by　Penelope；　who　used　to　give　her　toys　to　play
with；　and　looked　after　her　when　she　was　a　child；　but　in　spite　of　all
this　she　showed　no　consideration　for　the　sorrows　of　her　mistress；
and　used　to　misconduct　herself　with　Eurymachus；　with　whom　she　was　in
love。
　　〃Poor　wretch；〃　said　she；　〃are　you　gone　clean　out　of　your　mind？　Go
and　sleep　in　some　smithy；　or　place　of　public　gossips；　instead　of
chattering　here。　Are　you　not　ashamed　of　opening　your　mouth　before　your
betters…　so　many　of　them　too？　Has　the　wine　been　getting　into　your
head；　or　do　you　always　babble　in　this　way？　You　seem　to　have　lost
your　wits　because　you　beat　the　tramp　Irus；　take　care　that　a　better　man
than　he　does　not　come　and　cudgel　you　about　the　head　till　he　pack　you
bleeding　out　of　the　house。〃
　　〃Vixen；〃　replied　Ulysses；　scowling　at　her；　〃I　will　go　and　tell
Telemachus　what　you　have　been　saying；　and　he　will　have　you　torn　limb
from　limb。〃
　　With　these　words　he　scared　the　women；　and　they　went　off　into　the
body　of　the　house。　They　trembled　all　aver；　for　they　thought　he　would
do　as　he　said。　But　Ulysses　took　his　stand　near　the　burning　braziers；
holding　up　torches　and　looking　at　the　people…　brooding　the　while　on
things　that　should　surely　come　to　pass。
　　But　Minerva　would　not　let　the　suitors　for　one　moment　cease　their
insolence；　for　she　wanted　Ulysses　to　become　even　more　bitter　against
them；　she　therefore　set　Eurymachus　son　of　Polybus　on　to　gibe　at　him；
which　made　the　others　laugh。　〃Listen　to　me；〃　said　he；　〃you　suitors
of　Queen　Penelope；　that　I　may　speak　even　as　I　am　minded。　It　is　not　for
nothing　that　this　man　has　come　to　the　house　of　Ulysses；　I　believe
the　light　has　not　been　coming　from　the　torches；　but　from　his　own　head…
for　his　hair　is　all　gone；　every　bit　of　it。〃
　　Then　turning　to　Ulysses　he　said；　〃Stranger；　will　you　work　as　a
servant；　if　I　send　you　to　the　wolds　and　see　that　you　are　well　paid？
Can　you　build　a　stone　fence；　or　plant　trees？　I　will　have　you　fed　all
the　year　round；　and　will　find　you　in　shoes　and　clothing。　Will　you
go；　then？　Not　you；　for　you　have　got　into　bad　ways；　and　do　not　want
to　work；　you　had　rather　fill　your　belly　by　going　round　the　country
begging。〃
　　〃Eurymachus；〃　answered　Ulysses；　〃if　you　and　I　were　to　work　one
against　the　other　in　early　summer　when　the　days　are　at　their
longest…　give　me　a　good　scythe；　and　take　another　yourself；　and　let
us　see　which　will　fast　the　longer　or　mow　the　stronger；　from　dawn
till　dark　when　the　mowing　grass　is　about。　Or　if　you　will　plough
against　me；　let　us　each　take　a　yoke　of　tawny　oxen；　well…mated　and　of
great　strength　and　endurance：　turn　me　into　a　four　acre　field；　and
see　whether　you　or　I　can　drive　the　straighter　furrow。　If；　again；　war
were　to　break　out　this　day；　give　me　a　shield；　a　couple　of　spears　and　a
helmet　fitting　well　upon　my　temples…　you　would　find　me　foremost　in　the
fray；　and　would　cease　your　gibes　about　my　belly。　You　are　insolent
and　cruel；　and　think　yourself　a　great　man　because　you　live　in　a　little
world；　ind　that　a　bad　one。　If　Ulysses　comes　to　his　own　again；　the
doors　of　his　house　are　wide；　but　you　will　find　them　narrow　when　you
try　to　fly　through　them。〃
　　Eurymachus　was　furious　at　all　this。　He　scowled　at　him　and　cried；
〃You　wretch；　I　will　soon　pay　you　out　for　daring　to　say　such　things
to　me；　and　in　public　too。　Has　the　wine　been　getting　into　your　head
or　do　you　always　babble　in　this　way？　You　seem　to　have　lost　your　wits
because　you　beat　the　tramp　Irus。　With　this　he　caught　hold　of　a
footstool；　but　Ulysses　sought　protection　at　the　knees　of　Amphinomus　of
Dulichium；　for　he　was　afraid。　The　stool　hit　the　cupbearer　on　his　right
hand　and　knocked　him　down：　the　man　fell　with　a　cry　flat　on　his　back；
and　his　wine…jug　fell　ringing　to　the　ground。　The　suitors　in　the
covered　cloister　were　now　in　an　uproar；　and　one　would　turn　towards　his
neighbour；　saying；　〃I　wish　the　stranger　had　gone　somewhere　else；　bad
luck　to　hide；　for　all　the　trouble　he　gives　us。　We　cannot　permit　such
disturbance　about　a　beggar；　if　such　ill　counsels　are　to　prevail　we
shall　have　no　more　pleasure　at　our　banquet。〃
　　On　this　Telemachus　came　forward　and　said；　〃Sirs；　are　you　mad？　Can
you　not　carry　your　meat　and　your　liquor　decently？　Some　evil　spirit　has
possessed　you。　I　do　not　wish　to　drive　any　of　you　away；　but　you　have
had　your　suppers；　and　the　sooner　you　all　go　home　to　bed　the　better。〃
　　The　suitors　bit　their　lips　and　marvelled　at　the　boldness　of　his
speech；　but　Amphinomus　the　son　of　Nisus；　who　was　son　to　Aretias；　said；
〃Do　not　let　us　take　offence；　it　is　reasonable；　so　let　us　make　no
answer。　Neither　let　us　do　violence　to　the　stranger　nor　to　any　of
Ulysses'　servants。　Let　the　cupbearer　go　round　with　the
drink…offerings；　that　we　may　make　them　and　go　home　to　our　rest。　As　for
the　stranger；　let　us　leave　Telemachus　to　deal　with　him；　for　it　is　to
his　house　that　he　has　come。〃
　　Thus　did　he　speak；　and　his　saying　pleased　them　well；　so　Mulius　of
Dulichium；　servant　to　Amphinomus；　mixed　them　a　bowl　of　wine　and
water　and　handed　it　round　to　each　of　them　man　by　man；　whereon　they
made　their　drink…offerings　to　the　blessed　gods：　Then；　when　they　had
made　their　drink…offerings　and　had　drunk　each　one　as　he　was　minded；
they　took　their　several　ways　each　of　them　to　his　own　abode。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　BOOK　XIX。
　　ULYSSES　was　left　in　the　cloister；　pondering　on　the　means　whereby
with　Minerva's　help　he　might　be　able　to　kill　the　suitors。　Presently　he
said　to　Telemachus；　〃Telemachus；　we　must　get　the　armour　together　and
take　it　down　inside。　Make　some　excuse　when　the　suitors　ask　you　why　you
have　removed　it。　Say　that　you　have　taken　it　to　be　out　of　the　way　of
the　smoke；　inasmuch　as　it　is　no　longer　what　it　was　when　Ulysses　went
away；　but　has　become　soiled　and　begrimed　with　soot。　Add　to　this　more
particularly　that　you　are　afraid　Jove　may　set　them　on　to　quarrel
over　their　wine；　and　that　they　may　do　each　other　some　harm　which　may
disgrace　both　banquet　and　wooing；　for　the　sight　of　arms　sometimes
tempts　people　to　use　them。〃
　　Telemachus　approved　of　what　his　father　had　said；　so　he　called
nurse　Euryclea　and　said；　〃Nurse；　shut　the　women　up　in　their　room；
while　I　take　the　armour　that　my　father　left　behind　him　down　into　the
store　room。　No　one　looks　after　it　now　my　father　is　gone；　and　it　has
got　all　smirched　with　soot　during　my　own　boyhood。　I　want　to　take　it
down　where　the　smoke　cannot　reach　it。〃
　　〃I　wish；　child；〃　answered　Euryclea；　〃that　you　would　take　the
management　of　the　house　into　your　own　hands　altogether；　and　look　after
all　the　property　yourself。　But　who　is　to　go　with　you　and　light　you
to　the　store　room？　The　maids　would　have　so；　but　you　would　not　let
them。
　　〃The　stranger；〃　said　Telemachus；　〃shall　show　me　a　light；　when　people
eat　my　bread　they　must　earn　it；　no　matter　where　they　come　from。〃
　　Euryclea　did　as　she　was　told；　and　bolted　the　women　inside　their
room。　Then　Ulysses　and　his　son　made　all　haste　to　take　the　helmets；
shields；　and　spears　inside；　and　Minerva　went　before　them　with　a　gold
lamp　in　her　hand　that　shed　a　soft　and　brilliant　radiance；　whereon
Telemachus　said；　〃Father；　my　eyes　behold　a　great　marvel：　the　walls；
with　the　rafters；　crossbeams；　and　the　supports　on　which　they　rest
are　all　aglow　as　with　a　flaming　fire。　Surely　there　is　some　god　here
who　has　come　down　from　heaven。〃
　　〃Hush；〃　answered　Ulysses；　〃hold　your　pe