the odyssey(奥德赛)-第63章

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sitting　up　in　her　bed　began　to　cry。　When　she　had　relieved　herself　by
weeping　she　prayed　to　Diana　saying；　〃Great　Goddess　Diana；　daughter
of　Jove；　drive　an　arrow　into　my　heart　and　slay　me；　or　let　some
whirlwind　snatch　me　up　and　bear　me　through　paths　of　darkness　till　it
drop　me　into　the　mouths　of　overflowing　Oceanus；　as　it　did　the
daughters　of　Pandareus。　The　daughters　of　Pandareus　lost　their　father
and　mother；　for　the　gods　killed　them；　so　they　were　left　orphans。　But
Venus　took　care　of　them；　and　fed　them　on　cheese；　honey；　and　sweet
wine。　Juno　taught　them　to　excel　all　women　in　beauty　of　form　and
understanding；　Diana　gave　them　an　imposing　presence；　and　Minerva
endowed　them　with　every　kind　of　accomplishment；　but　one　day　when　Venus
had　gone　up　to　Olympus　to　see　Jove　about　getting　them　married　（for
well　does　he　know　both　what　shall　happen　and　what　not　happen　to
every　one）　the　storm　winds　came　and　spirited　them　away　to　become
handmaids　to　the　dread　Erinyes。　Even　so　I　wish　that　the　gods　who
live　in　heaven　would　hide　me　from　mortal　sight；　or　that　fair　Diana
might　strike　me；　for　I　would　fain　go　even　beneath　the　sad　earth　if　I
might　do　so　still　looking　towards　Ulysses　only；　and　without　having
to　yield　myself　to　a　worse　man　than　he　was。　Besides；　no　matter　how
much　people　may　grieve　by　day；　they　can　put　up　with　it　so　long　as　they
can　sleep　at　night；　for　when　the　eyes　are　closed　in　slumber　people
forget　good　and　ill　alike；　whereas　my　misery　haunts　me　even　in　my
dreams。　This　very　night　methought　there　was　one　lying　by　my　side　who
was　like　Ulysses　as　he　was　when　he　went　away　with　his　host；　and　I
rejoiced；　for　I　believed　that　it　was　no　dream；　but　the　very　truth
itself。〃
　　On　this　the　day　broke；　but　Ulysses　heard　the　sound　of　her　weeping；
and　it　puzzled　him；　for　it　seemed　as　though　she　already　knew　him　and
was　by　his　side。　Then　he　gathered　up　the　cloak　and　the　fleeces　on
which　he　had　lain；　and　set　them　on　a　seat　in　the　cloister；　but　he　took
the　bullock's　hide　out　into　the　open。　He　lifted　up　his　hands　to
heaven；　and　prayed；　saying　〃Father　Jove；　since　you　have　seen　fit　to
bring　me　over　land　and　sea　to　my　own　home　after　all　the　afflictions
you　have　laid　upon　me；　give　me　a　sign　out　of　the　mouth　of　some　one
or　other　of　those　who　are　now　waking　within　the　house；　and　let　me　have
another　sign　of　some　kind　from　outside。〃
　　Thus　did　he　pray。　Jove　heard　his　prayer　and　forthwith　thundered　high
up　among　the　from　the　splendour　of　Olympus；　and　Ulysses　was　glad
when　he　heard　it。　At　the　same　time　within　the　house；　a　miller…woman
from　hard　by　in　the　mill　room　lifted　up　her　voice　and　gave　him　another
sign。　There　were　twelve　miller…women　whose　business　it　was　to　grind
wheat　and　barley　which　are　the　staff　of　life。　The　others　had　ground
their　task　and　had　gone　to　take　their　rest；　but　this　one　had　not　yet
finished；　for　she　was　not　so　strong　as　they　were；　and　when　she　heard
the　thunder　she　stopped　grinding　and　gave　the　sign　to　her　master。
〃Father　Jove；〃　said　she；　〃you　who　rule　over　heaven　and　earth；　you　have
thundered　from　a　clear　sky　without　so　much　as　a　cloud　in　it；　and
this　means　something　for　somebody；　grant　the　prayer；　then；　of　me
your　poor　servant　who　calls　upon　you；　and　let　this　be　the　very　last
day　that　the　suitors　dine　in　the　house　of　Ulysses。　They　have　worn　me
out　with　the　labour　of　grinding　meal　for　them；　and　I　hope　they　may
never　have　another　dinner　anywhere　at　all。〃
　　Ulysses　was　glad　when　he　heard　the　omens　conveyed　to　him　by　the
woman's　speech；　and　by　the　thunder；　for　he　knew　they　meant　that　he
should　avenge　himself　on　the　suitors。
　　Then　the　other　maids　in　the　house　rose　and　lit　the　fire　on　the
hearth；　Telemachus　also　rose　and　put　on　his　clothes。　He　girded　his
sword　about　his　shoulder；　bound　his　sandals　on　his　comely　feet；　and
took　a　doughty　spear　with　a　point　of　sharpened　bronze；　then　he　went　to
the　threshold　of　the　cloister　and　said　to　Euryclea；　〃Nurse；　did　you
make　the　stranger　comfortable　both　as　regards　bed　and　board；　or　did
you　let　him　shift　for　himself？…　for　my　mother；　good　woman　though　she
is；　has　a　way　of　paying　great　attention　to　second…rate　people；　and
of　neglecting　others　who　are　in　reality　much　better　men。〃
　　〃Do　not　find　fault　child；〃　said　Euryclea；　〃when　there　is　no　one　to
find　fault　with。　The　stranger　sat　and　drank　his　wine　as　long　as　he
liked：　your　mother　did　ask　him　if　he　would　take　any　more　bread　and
he　said　he　would　not。　When　he　wanted　to　go　to　bed　she　told　the
servants　to　make　one　for　him；　but　he　said　he　was　re　such　wretched
outcast　that　he　would　not　sleep　on　a　bed　and　under　blankets；　he
insisted　on　having　an　undressed　bullock's　hide　and　some　sheepskins　put
for　him　in　the　cloister　and　I　threw　a　cloak　over　him　myself。〃
　　Then　Telemachus　went　out　of　the　court　to　the　place　where　the
Achaeans　were　meeting　in　assembly；　he　had　his　spear　in　his　hand；　and
he　was　not　alone；　for　his　two　dogs　went　with　him。　But　Euryclea
called　the　maids　and　said；　〃Come；　wake　up；　set　about　sweeping　the
cloisters　and　sprinkling　them　with　water　to　lay　the　dust；　put　the
covers　on　the　seats；　wipe　down　the　tables；　some　of　you；　with　a　wet
sponge；　clean　out　the　mixing…jugs　and　the　cups；　and　for　water　from　the
fountain　at　once；　the　suitors　will　be　here　directly；　they　will　be　here
early；　for　it　is　a　feast　day。〃
　　Thus　did　she　speak；　and　they　did　even　as　she　had　said：　twenty　of
them　went　to　the　fountain　for　water；　and　the　others　set　themselves
busily　to　work　about　the　house。　The　men　who　were　in　attendance　on
the　suitors　also　came　up　and　began　chopping　firewood。　By　and　by　the
women　returned　from　the　fountain；　and　the　swineherd　came　after　them
with　the　three　best　pigs　he　could　pick　out。　These　he　let　feed　about
the　premises；　and　then　he　said　good…humouredly　to　Ulysses；
〃Stranger；　are　the　suitors　treating　you　any　better　now；　or　are　they　as
insolent　as　ever？〃
　　〃May　heaven；〃　answered　Ulysses；　〃requite　to　them　the　wickedness　with
which　they　deal　high…handedly　in　another　man's　house　without　any　sense
of　shame。〃
　　Thus　did　they　converse；　meanwhile　Melanthius　the　goatherd　came　up；
for　he　too　was　bringing　in　his　best　goats　for　the　suitors'　dinner；　and
he　had　two　shepherds　with　him。　They　tied　the　goats　up　under　the
gatehouse；　and　then　Melanthius　began　gibing　at　Ulysses。　〃Are　you　still
here；　stranger；〃　said　he；　〃to　pester　people　by　begging　about　the
house？　Why　can　you　not　go　elsewhere？　You　and　I　shall　not　come　to　an
understanding　before　we　have　given　each　other　a　taste　of　our　fists。
You　beg　without　any　sense　of　decency：　are　there　not　feasts　elsewhere
among　the　Achaeans；　as　well　as　here？〃
　　Ulysses　made　no　answer；　but　bowed　his　head　and　brooded。　Then　a　third
man；　Philoetius；　joined　them；　who　was　bringing　in　a　barren　heifer
and　some　goats。　These　were　brought　over　by　the　boatmen　who　are　there
to　take　people　over　when　any　one　comes　to　them。　So　Philoetius　made　his
heifer　and　his　goats　secure　under　the　gatehouse；　and　then　went　up　to
the　swineherd。　〃Who；　Swineherd；〃　said　he；　〃is　this　stranger　that　is
lately　come　here？　Is　he　one　of　your　men？　What　is　his　family？　Where
does　he　come　from？　Poor　fellow；　he　looks　as　if　he　had　been　some
great　man；　but　the　gods　give　sorrow　to　whom　they　will…　even　to　kings
if　it　so　pleases　them
　　As　he　spoke　he　went　up　to　Ulysses　and　saluted　him　with　his　right
hand；　〃Good　day　to　you；　father　stranger；〃　said　he；　〃you　seem　to　be
very　poorly　off　now；　but　I　hope　you　will　have　better　times　by　and
by。　Father　Jove；　of　all　gods　you　are　the　most　malicious。　We　are　your
own　children；　yet　you　show　us　no　mercy　in　all　our　misery　and
afflictions。　A　sweat　came　over　me　when　I　saw　this　man；　and　my　eyes
filled　with　tears；　for　he　reminds　me　of　Ulysses；　who　I　fear　is　going
about　in　just　such　rags　as　this　man's　are；　if　indeed　he　is　still　among
the　living。　If　he　is　already　dead　and　in　the　house　of　Hades；　then；
alas！　for　my　good　master；　who　made　me　his　stockman　when　I　was　quite
young　among　the　Cephallenians；　and　now　his　cattle　are　countless；　no
one　could　have　done　better　with　them　than　I　have；　for　they　have　bred
like　ears　of　corn；　nevertheless　I　have　to　keep　bringing　them　in　for
others　to　eat；　who　take　no　heed　of　his　son　though　he　is　in　the
house；　and　fear　not　the　wrath　of　hea