the odyssey(奥德赛)-第60章

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Idomeneus　had　already　set　sail　for　Troy　some　ten　or　twelve　days
earlier；　so　I　took　him　to　my　own　house　and　showed　him　every　kind　of
hospitality；　for　I　had　abundance　of　everything。　Moreover；　I　fed　the
men　who　were　with　him　with　barley　meal　from　the　public　store；　and
got　subscriptions　of　wine　and　oxen　for　them　to　sacrifice　to　their
heart's　content。　They　stayed　with　me　twelve　days；　for　there　was　a　gale
blowing　from　the　North　so　strong　that　one　could　hardly　keep　one's　feet
on　land。　I　suppose　some　unfriendly　god　had　raised　it　for　them；　but
on　the　thirteenth　day　the　wind　dropped；　and　they　got　away。〃
　　Many　a　plausible　tale　did　Ulysses　further　tell　her；　and　Penelope
wept　as　she　listened；　for　her　heart　was　melted。　As　the　snow　wastes
upon　the　mountain　tops　when　the　winds　from　South　East　and　West　have
breathed　upon　it　and　thawed　it　till　the　rivers　run　bank　full　with
water；　even　so　did　her　cheeks　overflow　with　tears　for　the　husband
who　was　all　the　time　sitting　by　her　side。　Ulysses　felt　for　her　and　was
for　her；　but　he　kept　his　eyes　as　hard　as　or　iron　without　letting
them　so　much　as　quiver；　so　cunningly　did　he　restrain　his　tears。
Then；　when　she　had　relieved　herself　by　weeping；　she　turned　to　him
again　and　said：　〃Now；　stranger；　I　shall　put　you　to　the　test　and　see
whether　or　no　you　really　did　entertain　my　husband　and　his　men；　as
you　say　you　did。　Tell　me；　then；　how　he　was　dressed；　what　kind　of　a　man
he　was　to　look　at；　and　so　also　with　his　companions。〃
　　〃Madam；〃　answered　Ulysses；　〃it　is　such　a　long　time　ago　that　I　can
hardly　say。　Twenty　years　are　come　and　gone　since　he　left　my　home；
and　went　elsewhither；　but　I　will　tell　you　as　well　as　I　can
recollect。　Ulysses　wore　a　mantle　of　purple　wool；　double　lined；　and
it　was　fastened　by　a　gold　brooch　with　two　catches　for　the　pin。　On
the　face　of　this　there　was　a　device　that　showed　a　dog　holding　a
spotted　fawn　between　his　fore　paws；　and　watching　it　as　it　lay
panting　upon　the　ground。　Every　one　marvelled　at　the　way　in　which　these
things　had　been　done　in　gold；　the　dog　looking　at　the　fawn；　and
strangling　it；　while　the　fawn　was　struggling　convulsively　to　escape。
As　for　the　shirt　that　he　wore　next　his　skin；　it　was　so　soft　that　it
fitted　him　like　the　skin　of　an　onion；　and　glistened　in　the　sunlight　to
the　admiration　of　all　the　women　who　beheld　it。　Furthermore　I　say；
and　lay　my　saying　to　your　heart；　that　I　do　not　know　whether　Ulysses
wore　these　clothes　when　he　left　home；　or　whether　one　of　his　companions
had　given　them　to　him　while　he　was　on　his　voyage；　or　possibly　some　one
at　whose　house　he　was　staying　made　him　a　present　of　them；　for　he　was　a
man　of　many　friends　and　had　few　equals　among　the　Achaeans。　I　myself
gave　him　a　sword　of　bronze　and　a　beautiful　purple　mantle；　double
lined；　with　a　shirt　that　went　down　to　his　feet；　and　I　sent　him　on
board　his　ship　with　every　mark　of　honour。　He　had　a　servant　with　him；　a
little　older　than　himself；　and　I　can　tell　you　what　he　was　like；　his
shoulders　were　hunched；　he　was　dark；　and　he　had　thick　curly　hair。
His　name　was　Eurybates；　and　Ulysses　treated　him　with　greater
familiarity　than　he　did　any　of　the　others；　as　being　the　most
like…minded　with　himself。〃
　　Penelope　was　moved　still　more　deeply　as　she　heard　the　indisputable
proofs　that　Ulysses　laid　before　her；　and　when　she　had　again　found
relief　in　tears　she　said　to　him；　〃Stranger；　I　was　already　disposed
to　pity　you；　but　henceforth　you　shall　be　honoured　and　made　welcome
in　my　house。　It　was　I　who　gave　Ulysses　the　clothes　you　speak　of。　I
took　them　out　of　the　store　room　and　folded　them　up　myself；　and　I
gave　him　also　the　gold　brooch　to　wear　as　an　ornament。　Alas！　I　shall
never　welcome　him　home　again。　It　was　by　an　ill　fate　that　he　ever　set
out　for　that　detested　city　whose　very　name　I　cannot　bring　myself
even　to　mention。〃
　　Then　Ulysses　answered；　〃Madam；　wife　of　Ulysses；　do　not　disfigure
yourself　further　by　grieving　thus　bitterly　for　your　loss；　though　I　can
hardly　blame　you　for　doing　so。　A　woman　who　has　loved　her　husband　and
borne　him　children；　would　naturally　be　grieved　at　losing　him；　even
though　he　were　a　worse　man　than　Ulysses；　who　they　say　was　like　a
god。　Still；　cease　your　tears　and　listen　to　what　I　can　tell　I　will　hide
nothing　from　you；　and　can　say　with　perfect　truth　that　I　have　lately
heard　of　Ulysses　as　being　alive　and　on　his　way　home；　he　is　among　the
Thesprotians；　and　is　bringing　back　much　valuable　treasure　that　he
has　begged　from　one　and　another　of　them；　but　his　ship　and　all　his　crew
were　lost　as　they　were　leaving　the　Thrinacian　island；　for　Jove　and　the
sun…god　were　angry　with　him　because　his　men　had　slaughtered　the
sun…god's　cattle；　and　they　were　all　drowned　to　a　man。　But　Ulysses
stuck　to　the　keel　of　the　ship　and　was　drifted　on　to　the　land　of　the
Phaecians；　who　are　near　of　kin　to　the　immortals；　and　who　treated　him
as　though　he　had　been　a　god；　giving　him　many　presents；　and　wishing
to　escort　him　home　safe　and　sound。　In　fact　Ulysses　would　have　been
here　long　ago；　had　he　not　thought　better　to　go　from　land　to　land
gathering　wealth；　for　there　is　no　man　living　who　is　so　wily　as　he
is；　there　is　no　one　can　compare　with　him。　Pheidon　king　of　the
Thesprotians　told　me　all　this；　and　he　swore　to　me…　making
drink…offerings　in　his　house　as　he　did　so…　that　the　ship　was　by　the
water　side　and　the　crew　found　who　would　take　Ulysses　to　his　own
country。　He　sent　me　off　first；　for　there　happened　to　be　a
Thesprotian　ship　sailing　for　the　wheat…growing　island　of　Dulichium；
but　he　showed　me　all　treasure　Ulysses　had　got　together；　and　he　had
enough　lying　in　the　house　of　king　Pheidon　to　keep　his　family　for　ten
generations；　but　the　king　said　Ulysses　had　gone　to　Dodona　that　he
might　learn　Jove's　mind　from　the　high　oak　tree；　and　know　whether　after
so　long　an　absence　he　should　return　to　Ithaca　openly　or　in　secret。
So　you　may　know　he　is　safe　and　will　be　here　shortly；　he　is　close　at
hand　and　cannot　remain　away　from　home　much　longer；　nevertheless　I　will
confirm　my　words　with　an　oath；　and　call　Jove　who　is　the　first　and
mightiest　of　all　gods　to　witness；　as　also　that　hearth　of　Ulysses　to
which　I　have　now　come；　that　all　I　have　spoken　shall　surely　come　to
pass。　Ulysses　will　return　in　this　self　same　year；　with　the　end　of　this
moon　and　the　beginning　of　the　next　he　will　be　here。〃
　　〃May　it　be　even　so；〃　answered　Penelope；　〃if　your　words　come　true　you
shall　have　such　gifts　and　such　good　will　from　me　that　all　who　see
you　shall　congratulate　you；　but　I　know　very　well　how　it　will　be。
Ulysses　will　not　return；　neither　will　you　get　your　escort　hence；　for
so　surely　as　that　Ulysses　ever　was；　there　are　now　no　longer　any　such
masters　in　the　house　as　he　was；　to　receive　honourable　strangers　or
to　further　them　on　their　way　home。　And　now；　you　maids；　wash　his　feet
for　him；　and　make　him　a　bed　on　a　couch　with　rugs　and　blankets；　that　he
may　be　warm　and　quiet　till　morning。　Then；　at　day　break　wash　him　and
anoint　him　again；　that　he　may　sit　in　the　cloister　and　take　his　meals
with　Telemachus。　It　shall　be　the　worse　for　any　one　of　these　hateful
people　who　is　uncivil　to　him；　like　it　or　not；　he　shall　have　no　more　to
do　in　this　house。　For　how；　sir；　shall　you　be　able　to　learn　whether
or　no　I　am　superior　to　others　of　my　sex　both　in　goodness　of　heart
and　understanding；　if　I　let　you　dine　in　my　cloisters　squalid　and　ill
clad？　Men　live　but　for　a　little　season；　if　they　are　hard；　and　deal
hardly；　people　wish　them　ill　so　long　as　they　are　alive；　and　speak
contemptuously　of　them　when　they　are　dead；　but　he　that　is　righteous
and　deals　righteously；　the　people　tell　of　his　praise　among　all
lands；　and　many　shall　call　him　blessed。〃
　　Ulysses　answered；　〃Madam；　I　have　foresworn　rugs　and　blankets　from
the　day　that　I　left　the　snowy　ranges　of　Crete　to　go　on　shipboard。　I
will　lie　as　I　have　lain　on　many　a　sleepless　night　hitherto。　Night
after　night　have　I　passed　in　any　rough　sleeping　place；　and　waited
for　morning。　Nor；　again；　do　I　like　having　my　feet　washed；　I　shall
not　let　any　of　the　young　hussies　about　your　house　touch　my　feet；
but；　if　you　have　any　old　and　respectable　woman　who　has　gone　through　as
much　trouble　as　I　have；　I　will　allow　her　to　wash　them。〃
　　To　this　Penelope　said；　〃My　dear　sir；　of　all　the　guests　who　ever
yet