the odyssey(奥德赛)-第61章

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　　To　this　Penelope　said；　〃My　dear　sir；　of　all　the　guests　who　ever
yet　came　to　my　house　there　never　was　one　who　spoke　in　all　things
with　such　admirable　propriety　as　you　do。　There　happens　to　be　in　the
house　a　most　respectable　old　woman…　the　same　who　received　my　poor　dear
husband　in　her　arms　the　night　he　was　born；　and　nursed　him　in
infancy。　She　is　very　feeble　now；　but　she　shall　wash　your　feet。〃
〃Come　here；〃　said　she；　〃Euryclea；　and　wash　your　master's　age…mate；　I
suppose　Ulysses'　hands　and　feet　are　very　much　the　same　now　as　his　are；
for　trouble　ages　all　of　us　dreadfully　fast。〃
　　On　these　words　the　old　woman　covered　her　face　with　her　hands；　she
began　to　weep　and　made　lamentation　saying；　〃My　dear　child；　I　cannot
think　whatever　I　am　to　do　with　you。　I　am　certain　no　one　was　ever
more　god…fearing　than　yourself；　and　yet　Jove　hates　you。　No　one　in
the　whole　world　ever　burned　him　more　thigh　bones；　nor　gave　him　finer
hecatombs　when　you　prayed　you　might　come　to　a　green　old　age　yourself
and　see　your　son　grow　up　to　take　after　you；　yet　see　how　he　has
prevented　you　alone　from　ever　getting　back　to　your　own　home。　I　have　no
doubt　the　women　in　some　foreign　palace　which　Ulysses　has　got　to　are
gibing　at　him　as　all　these　sluts　here　have　been　gibing　you。　I　do　not
wonder　at　your　not　choosing　to　let　them　wash　you　after　the　manner　in
which　they　have　insulted　you；　I　will　wash　your　feet　myself　gladly
enough；　as　Penelope　has　said　that　I　am　to　do　so；　I　will　wash　them　both
for　Penelope's　sake　and　for　your　own；　for　you　have　raised　the　most
lively　feelings　of　compassion　in　my　mind；　and　let　me　say　this
moreover；　which　pray　attend　to；　we　have　had　all　kinds　of　strangers
in　distress　come　here　before　now；　but　I　make　bold　to　say　that　no　one
ever　yet　came　who　was　so　like　Ulysses　in　figure；　voice；　and　feet　as
you　are。〃
　　〃Those　who　have　seen　us　both；〃　answered　Ulysses；　〃have　always　said
we　were　wonderfully　like　each　other；　and　now　you　have　noticed　it　too。
　　Then　the　old　woman　took　the　cauldron　in　which　she　was　going　to
wash　his　feet；　and　poured　plenty　of　cold　water　into　it；　adding　hot
till　the　bath　was　warm　enough。　Ulysses　sat　by　the　fire；　but　ere　long
he　turned　away　from　the　light；　for　it　occurred　to　him　that　when　the
old　woman　had　hold　of　his　leg　she　would　recognize　a　certain　scar　which
it　bore；　whereon　the　whole　truth　would　come　out。　And　indeed　as　soon　as
she　began　washing　her　master；　she　at　once　knew　the　scar　as　one　that
had　been　given　him　by　a　wild　boar　when　he　was　hunting　on　Mount
Parnassus　with　his　excellent　grandfather　Autolycus…　who　was　the　most
accomplished　thief　and　perjurer　in　the　whole　world…　and　with　the
sons　of　Autolycus。　Mercury　himself　had　endowed　him　with　this　gift；　for
he　used　to　burn　the　thigh　bones　of　goats　and　kids　to　him；　so　he　took
pleasure　in　his　companionship。　It　happened　once　that　Autolycus　had
gone　to　Ithaca　and　had　found　the　child　of　his　daughter　just　born。　As
soon　as　he　had　done　supper　Euryclea　set　the　infant　upon　his　knees
and　said；　you　must　find　a　name　for　your　grandson；　you　greatly　wished
that　you　might　have　one。〃
　　'Son…in…law　and　daughter；〃　replied　Autolycus；　〃call　the　child
thus：　I　am　highly　displeased　with　a　large　number　of　people　in　one
place　and　another；　both　men　and　women；　so　name　the　child　'Ulysses；'　or
the　child　of　anger。　When　he　grows　up　and　comes　to　visit　his　mother's
family　on　Mount　Parnassus；　where　my　possessions　lie；　I　will　make　him　a
present　and　will　send　him　on　his　way　rejoicing。〃
　　Ulysses；　therefore；　went　to　Parnassus　to　get　the　presents　from
Autolycus；　who　with　his　sons　shook　hands　with　him　and　gave　him
welcome。　His　grandmother　Amphithea　threw　her　arms　about　him；　and
kissed　his　head；　and　both　his　beautiful　eyes；　while　Autolycus
desired　his　sons　to　get　dinner　ready；　and　they　did　as　he　told　them。
They　brought　in　a　five　year　old　bull；　flayed　it；　made　it　ready　and
divided　it　into　joints；　these　they　then　cut　carefully　up　into
smaller　pieces　and　spitted　them；　they　roasted　them　sufficiently　and
served　the　portions　round。　Thus　through　the　livelong　day　to　the
going　down　of　the　sun　they　feasted；　and　every　man　had　his　full　share
so　that　all　were　satisfied；　but　when　the　sun　set　and　it　came　on
dark；　they　went　to　bed　and　enjoyed　the　boon　of　sleep。
　　When　the　child　of　morning；　rosy…fingered　Dawn；　appeared；　the　sons　of
Autolycus　went　out　with　their　hounds　hunting；　and　Ulysses　went　too。
They　climbed　the　wooded　slopes　of　Parnassus　and　soon　reached　its
breezy　upland　valleys；　but　as　the　sun　was　beginning　to　beat　upon　the
fields；　fresh…risen　from　the　slow　still　currents　of　Oceanus；　they　came
to　a　mountain　dell。　The　dogs　were　in　front　searching　for　the　tracks　of
the　beast　they　were　chasing；　and　after　them　came　the　sons　of
Autolycus；　among　whom　was　Ulysses；　close　behind　the　dogs；　and　he　had　a
long　spear　in　his　hand。　Here　was　the　lair　of　a　huge　boar　among　some
thick　brushwood；　so　dense　that　the　wind　and　rain　could　not　get　through
it；　nor　could　the　sun's　rays　pierce　it；　and　the　ground　underneath
lay　thick　with　fallen　leaves。　The　boar　heard　the　noise　of　the　men's
feet；　and　the　hounds　baying　on　every　side　as　the　huntsmen　came　up　to
him；　so　rushed　from　his　lair；　raised　the　bristles　on　his　neck；　and
stood　at　bay　with　fire　flashing　from　his　eyes。　Ulysses　was　the　first
to　raise　his　spear　and　try　to　drive　it　into　the　brute；　but　the　boar
was　too　quick　for　him；　and　charged　him　sideways；　ripping　him　above　the
knee　with　a　gash　that　tore　deep　though　it　did　not　reach　the　bone。　As
for　the　boar；　Ulysses　hit　him　on　the　right　shoulder；　and　the　point
of　the　spear　went　right　through　him；　so　that　he　fell　groaning　in　the
dust　until　the　life　went　out　of　him。　The　sons　of　Autolycus　busied
themselves　with　the　carcass　of　the　boar；　and　bound　Ulysses'　wound；
then；　after　saying　a　spell　to　stop　the　bleeding；　they　went　home　as
fast　as　they　could。　But　when　Autolycus　and　his　sons　had　thoroughly
healed　Ulysses；　they　made　him　some　splendid　presents；　and　sent　him
back　to　Ithaca　with　much　mutual　good　will。　When　he　got　back；　his
father　and　mother　were　rejoiced　to　see　him；　and　asked　him　all　about
it；　and　how　he　had　hurt　himself　to　get　the　scar；　so　he　told　them　how
the　boar　had　ripped　him　when　he　was　out　hunting　with　Autolycus　and　his
sons　on　Mount　Parnassus。
　　As　soon　as　Euryclea　had　got　the　scarred　limb　in　her　hands　and　had
well　hold　of　it；　she　recognized　it　and　dropped　the　foot　at　once。　The
leg　fell　into　the　bath；　which　rang　out　and　was　overturned；　so　that　all
the　water　was　spilt　on　the　ground；　Euryclea's　eyes　between　her　joy　and
her　grief　filled　with　tears；　and　she　could　not　speak；　but　she　caught
Ulysses　by　the　beard　and　said；　〃My　dear　child；　I　am　sure　you　must　be
Ulysses　himself；　only　I　did　not　know　you　till　I　had　actually　touched
and　handled　you。〃
　　As　she　spoke　she　looked　towards　Penelope；　as　though　wanting　to
tell　her　that　her　dear　husband　was　in　the　house；　but　Penelope　was
unable　to　look　in　that　direction　and　observe　what　was　going　on；　for
Minerva　had　diverted　her　attention；　so　Ulysses　caught　Euryclea　by
the　throat　with　his　right　hand　and　with　his　left　drew　her　close　to
him；　and　said；　〃Nurse；　do　you　wish　to　be　the　ruin　of　me；　you　who
nursed　me　at　your　own　breast；　now　that　after　twenty　years　of　wandering
I　am　at　last　come　to　my　own　home　again？　Since　it　has　been　borne　in
upon　you　by　heaven　to　recognize　me；　hold　your　tongue；　and　do　not　say　a
word　about　it　any　one　else　in　the　house；　for　if　you　do　I　tell　you…　and
it　shall　surely　be…　that　if　heaven　grants　me　to　take　the　lives　of
these　suitors；　I　will　not　spare　you；　though　you　are　my　own　nurse；　when
I　am　killing　the　other　women。〃
　　〃My　child；〃　answered　Euryclea；　〃what　are　you　talking　about？　You　know
very　well　that　nothing　can　either　bend　or　break　me。　I　will　hold　my
tongue　like　a　stone　or　a　piece　of　iron；　furthermore　let　me　say；　and
lay　my　saying　to　your　heart；　when　heaven　has　delivered　the　suitors
into　your　hand；　I　will　give　you　a　list　of　the　women　in　the　house　who
have　been　ill…behaved；　and　of　those　who　are　guiltless。〃
　　And　Ulysses　answered；　〃Nurse；　you　ought　not　to　speak　in　that　way；
I　am　well　able　to　form　my　own　opinion　about　one　and　all　of　them；
hold　your　tongue　and　leave　everything　to　heaven。〃
　　As　he　said　this