the odyssey(奥德赛)-第68章

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was　neither　shield　nor　spear；　and　they　rebuked　Ulysses　very　angrily。
〃Stranger；〃　said　they；　〃you　shall　pay　for　shooting　people　in　this　way：
om　yi　you　shall　see　no　other　contest；　you　are　a　doomed　man；　he　whom
you　have　slain　was　the　foremost　youth　in　Ithaca；　and　the　vultures
shall　devour　you　for　having　killed　him。〃
　　Thus　they　spoke；　for　they　thought　that　he　had　killed　Antinous　by
mistake；　and　did　not　perceive　that　death　was　hanging　over　the　head
of　every　one　of　them。　But　Ulysses　glared　at　them　and　said：
　　〃Dogs；　did　you　think　that　I　should　not　come　back　from　Troy？　You　have
wasted　my　substance；　have　forced　my　women　servants　to　lie　with　you；
and　have　wooed　my　wife　while　I　was　still　living。　You　have　feared
neither　Cod　nor　man；　and　now　you　shall　die。〃
　　They　turned　pale　with　fear　as　he　spoke；　and　every　man　looked　round
about　to　see　whither　he　might　fly　for　safety；　but　Eurymachus　alone
spoke。
　　〃If　you　are　Ulysses；〃　said　he；　〃then　what　you　have　said　is　just。
We　have　done　much　wrong　on　your　lands　and　in　your　house。　But
Antinous　who　was　the　head　and　front　of　the　offending　lies　low　already。
It　was　all　his　doing。　It　was　not　that　he　wanted　to　marry　Penelope；
he　did　not　so　much　care　about　that；　what　he　wanted　was　something　quite
different；　and　Jove　has　not　vouchsafed　it　to　him；　he　wanted　to　kill
your　son　and　to　be　chief　man　in　Ithaca。　Now；　therefore；　that　he　has
met　the　death　which　was　his　due；　spare　the　lives　of　your　people。　We
will　make　everything　good　among　ourselves；　and　pay　you　in　full　for　all
that　we　have　eaten　and　drunk。　Each　one　of　us　shall　pay　you　a　fine
worth　twenty　oxen；　and　we　will　keep　on　giving　you　gold　and　bronze　till
your　heart　is　softened。　Until　we　have　done　this　no　one　can　complain　of
your　being　enraged　against　us。〃
　　Ulysses　again　glared　at　him　and　said；　〃Though　you　should　give　me　all
that　you　have　in　the　world　both　now　and　all　that　you　ever　shall
have；　I　will　not　stay　my　hand　till　I　have　paid　all　of　you　in　full。　You
must　fight；　or　fly　for　your　lives；　and　fly；　not　a　man　of　you　shall。〃
　　Their　hearts　sank　as　they　heard　him；　but　Eurymachus　again　spoke
saying：
　　〃My　friends；　this　man　will　give　us　no　quarter。　He　will　stand　where
he　is　and　shoot　us　down　till　he　has　killed　every　man　among　us。　Let
us　then　show　fight；　draw　your　swords；　and　hold　up　the　tables　to　shield
you　from　his　arrows。　Let　us　have　at　him　with　a　rush；　to　drive　him　from
the　pavement　and　doorway：　we　can　then　get　through　into　the　town；　and
raise　such　an　alarm　as　shall　soon　stay　his　shooting。〃
　　As　he　spoke　he　drew　his　keen　blade　of　bronze；　sharpened　on　both
sides；　and　with　a　loud　cry　sprang　towards　Ulysses；　but　Ulysses
instantly　shot　an　arrow　into　his　breast　that　caught　him　by　the
nipple　and　fixed　itself　in　his　liver。　He　dropped　his　sword　and　fell
doubled　up　over　his　table。　The　cup　and　all　the　meats　went　over　on　to
the　ground　as　he　smote　the　earth　with　his　forehead　in　the　agonies　of
death；　and　he　kicked　the　stool　with　his　feet　until　his　eyes　were
closed　in　darkness。
　　Then　Amphinomus　drew　his　sword　and　made　straight　at　Ulysses　to　try
and　get　him　away　from　the　door；　but　Telemachus　was　too　quick　for
him；　and　struck　him　from　behind；　the　spear　caught　him　between　the
shoulders　and　went　right　through　his　chest；　so　that　he　fell　heavily　to
the　ground　and　struck　the　earth　with　his　forehead。　Then　Telemachus
sprang　away　from　him；　leaving　his　spear　still　in　the　body；　for　he
feared　that　if　he　stayed　to　draw　it　out；　some　one　of　the　Achaeans
might　come　up　and　hack　at　him　with　his　sword；　or　knock　him　down；　so　he
set　off　at　a　run；　and　immediately　was　at　his　father's　side。　Then　he
said：
　　〃Father；　let　me　bring　you　a　shield；　two　spears；　and　a　brass　helmet
for　your　temples。　I　will　arm　myself　as　well；　and　will　bring　other
armour　for　the　swineherd　and　the　stockman；　for　we　had　better　be
armed。〃
　　〃Run　and　fetch　them；〃　answered　Ulysses；　〃while　my　arrows　hold　out；
or　when　I　am　alone　they　may　get　me　away　from　the　door。〃
　　Telemachus　did　as　his　father　said；　and　went　off　to　the　store　room
where　the　armour　was　kept。　He　chose　four　shields；　eight　spears；　and
four　brass　helmets　with　horse…hair　plumes。　He　brought　them　with　all
speed　to　his　father；　and　armed　himself　first；　while　the　stockman　and
the　swineherd　also　put　on　their　armour；　and　took　their　places　near
Ulysses。　Meanwhile　Ulysses；　as　long　as　his　arrows　lasted；　had　been
shooting　the　suitors　one　by　one；　and　they　fell　thick　on　one　another：
when　his　arrows　gave　out；　he　set　the　bow　to　stand　against　the　end　wall
of　the　house　by　the　door　post；　and　hung　a　shield　four　hides　thick
about　his　shoulders；　on　his　comely　head　he　set　his　helmet；　well
wrought　with　a　crest　of　horse…hair　that　nodded　menacingly　above　it；
and　he　grasped　two　redoubtable　bronze…shod　spears。
　　Now　there　was　a　trap　door　on　the　wall；　while　at　one　end　of　the
pavement　there　was　an　exit　leading　to　a　narrow　passage；　and　this
exit　was　closed　by　a　well…made　door。　Ulysses　told　Philoetius　to
stand　by　this　door　and　guard　it；　for　only　one　person　could　attack　it
at　a　time。　But　Agelaus　shouted　out；　〃Cannot　some　one　go　up　to　the　trap
door　and　tell　the　people　what　is　going　on？　Help　would　come　at　once；
and　we　should　soon　make　an　end　of　this　man　and　his　shooting。〃
　　〃This　may　not　be；　Agelaus；〃　answered　Melanthius；　〃the　mouth　of　the
narrow　passage　is　dangerously　near　the　entrance　to　the　outer　court。
One　brave　man　could　prevent　any　number　from　getting　in。　But　I　know
what　I　will　do；　I　will　bring　you　arms　from　the　store　room；　for　I　am
sure　it　is　there　that　Ulysses　and　his　son　have　put　them。〃
　　On　this　the　goatherd　Melanthius　went　by　back　passages　to　the　store
room　of　Ulysses；　house。　There　he　chose　twelve　shields；　with　as　many
helmets　and　spears；　and　brought　them　back　as　fast　as　he　could　to
give　them　to　the　suitors。　Ulysses'　heart　began　to　fail　him　when　he　saw
the　suitors　putting　on　their　armour　and　brandishing　their　spears。　He
saw　the　greatness　of　the　danger；　and　said　to　Telemachus；　〃Some　one
of　the　women　inside　is　helping　the　suitors　against　us；　or　it　may　be
Melanthius。〃
　　Telemachus　answered；　〃The　fault；　father；　is　mine；　and　mine　only；　I
left　the　store　room　door　open；　and　they　have　kept　a　sharper　look　out
than　I　have。　Go；　Eumaeus；　put　the　door　to；　and　see　whether　it　is　one
of　the　women　who　is　doing　this；　or　whether；　as　I　suspect；　it　is
Melanthius　the　son　of　Dolius。〃
　　Thus　did　they　converse。　Meanwhile　Melanthius　was　again　going　to
the　store　room　to　fetch　more　armour；　but　the　swineherd　saw　him　and
said　to　Ulysses　who　was　beside　him；　〃Ulysses；　noble　son　of　Laertes；　it
is　that　scoundrel　Melanthius；　just　as　we　suspected；　who　is　going　to
the　store　room。　Say；　shall　I　kill　him；　if　I　can　get　the　better　of　him；
or　shall　I　bring　him　here　that　you　may　take　your　own　revenge　for　all
the　many　wrongs　that　he　has　done　in　your　house？〃
　　Ulysses　answered；　〃Telemachus　and　I　will　hold　these　suitors　in
check；　no　matter　what　they　do；　go　back　both　of　you　and　bind
Melanthius'　hands　and　feet　behind　him。　Throw　him　into　the　store　room
and　make　the　door　fast　behind　you；　then　fasten　a　noose　about　his　body；
and　string　him　close　up　to　the　rafters　from　a　high　bearing…post；
that　he　may　linger　on　in　an　agony。〃
　　Thus　did　he　speak；　and　they　did　even　as　he　had　said；　they　went　to
the　store　room；　which　they　entered　before　Melanthius　saw　them；　for
he　was　busy　searching　for　arms　in　the　innermost　part　of　the　room；　so
the　two　took　their　stand　on　either　side　of　the　door　and　waited。　By　and
by　Melanthius　came　out　with　a　helmet　in　one　hand；　and　an　old
dry…rotted　shield　in　the　other；　which　had　been　borne　by　Laertes　when
he　was　young；　but　which　had　been　long　since　thrown　aside；　and　the
straps　had　become　unsewn；　on　this　the　two　seized　him；　dragged　him　back
by　the　hair；　and　threw　him　struggling　to　the　ground。　They　bent　his
hands　and　feet　well　behind　his　back；　and　bound　them　tight　with　a
painful　bond　as　Ulysses　had　told　them；　then　they　fastened　a　noose
about　his　body　and　strung　him　up　from　a　high　pillar　till　he　was
close　up　to　the　rafters；　and　over　him　did　you　then　vaunt；　O
swineherd　Eumaeus；　saying；　〃Melanthius；　you　will　pass　the　night　on　a
soft　bed　as　you　deserve。　You　will　know　very　well　when　morning　comes
from　the　streams　of　O