the odyssey(奥德赛)-第7章

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bear　it　in　mind　now　as　in　my　favour　and　tell　me　truly　all。〃
　　〃My　friend；〃　answered　Nestor；　〃you　recall　a　time　of　much　sorrow　to
my　mind；　for　the　brave　Achaeans　suffered　much　both　at　sea；　while
privateering　under　Achilles；　and　when　fighting　before　the　great　city
of　king　Priam。　Our　best　men　all　of　them　fell　there…　Ajax；　Achilles；
Patroclus　peer　of　gods　in　counsel；　and　my　own　dear　son　Antilochus；　a
man　singularly　fleet　of　foot　and　in　fight　valiant。　But　we　suffered
much　more　than　this；　what　mortal　tongue　indeed　could　tell　the　whole
story？　Though　you　were　to　stay　here　and　question　me　for　five　years；　or
even　six；　I　could　not　tell　you　all　that　the　Achaeans　suffered；　and　you
would　turn　homeward　weary　of　my　tale　before　it　ended。　Nine　long
years　did　we　try　every　kind　of　stratagem；　but　the　hand　of　heaven　was
against　us；　during　all　this　time　there　was　no　one　who　could　compare
with　your　father　in　subtlety…　if　indeed　you　are　his　son…　I　can
hardly　believe　my　eyes…　and　you　talk　just　like　him　too…　no　one　would
say　that　people　of　such　different　ages　could　speak　so　much　alike。　He
and　I　never　had　any　kind　of　difference　from　first　to　last　neither　in
camp　nor　council；　but　in　singleness　of　heart　and　purpose　we　advised
the　Argives　how　all　might　be　ordered　for　the　best。
　　〃When　however；　we　had　sacked　the　city　of　Priam；　and　were　setting
sail　in　our　ships　as　heaven　had　dispersed　us；　then　Jove　saw　fit　to　vex
the　Argives　on　their　homeward　voyage；　for　they　had　Not　all　been　either
wise　or　understanding；　and　hence　many　came　to　a　bad　end　through　the
displeasure　of　Jove's　daughter　Minerva；　who　brought　about　a　quarrel
between　the　two　sons　of　Atreus。
　　〃The　sons　of　Atreus　called　a　meeting　which　was　not　as　it　should
be；　for　it　was　sunset　and　the　Achaeans　were　heavy　with　wine。　When　they
explained　why　they　had　called…　the　people　together；　it　seemed　that
Menelaus　was　for　sailing　homeward　at　once；　and　this　displeased
Agamemnon；　who　thought　that　we　should　wait　till　we　had　offered
hecatombs　to　appease　the　anger　of　Minerva。　Fool　that　he　was；　he
might　have　known　that　he　would　not　prevail　with　her；　for　when　the　gods
have　made　up　their　minds　they　do　not　change　them　lightly。　So　the　two
stood　bandying　hard　words；　whereon　the　Achaeans　sprang　to　their　feet
with　a　cry　that　rent　the　air；　and　were　of　two　minds　as　to　what　they
should　do。
　　〃That　night　we　rested　and　nursed　our　anger；　for　Jove　was　hatching
mischief　against　us。　But　in　the　morning　some　of　us　drew　our　ships　into
the　water　and　put　our　goods　with　our　women　on　board；　while　the　rest；
about　half　in　number；　stayed　behind　with　Agamemnon。　We…　the　other
half…　embarked　and　sailed；　and　the　ships　went　well；　for　heaven　had
smoothed　the　sea。　When　we　reached　Tenedos　we　offered　sacrifices　to　the
gods；　for　we　were　longing　to　get　home；　cruel　Jove；　however；　did　not
yet　mean　that　we　should　do　so；　and　raised　a　second　quarrel　in　the
course　of　which　some　among　us　turned　their　ships　back　again；　and
sailed　away　under　Ulysses　to　make　their　peace　with　Agamemnon；　but　I；
and　all　the　ships　that　were　with　me　pressed　forward；　for　I　saw　that
mischief　was　brewing。　The　son　of　Tydeus　went　on　also　with　me；　and
his　crews　with　him。　Later　on　Menelaus　joined　us　at　Lesbos；　and　found
us　making　up　our　minds　about　our　course…　for　we　did　not　know　whether
to　go　outside　Chios　by　the　island　of　Psyra；　keeping　this　to　our
left；　or　inside　Chios；　over　against　the　stormy　headland　of　Mimas。　So
we　asked　heaven　for　a　sign；　and　were　shown　one　to　the　effect　that　we
should　be　soonest　out　of　danger　if　we　headed　our　ships　across　the　open
sea　to　Euboea。　This　we　therefore　did；　and　a　fair　wind　sprang　up
which　gave　us　a　quick　passage　during　the　night　to　Geraestus；　where
we　offered　many　sacrifices　to　Neptune　for　having　helped　us　so　far　on
our　way。　Four　days　later　Diomed　and　his　men　stationed　their　ships　in
Argos；　but　I　held　on　for　Pylos；　and　the　wind　never　fell　light　from　the
day　when　heaven　first　made　it　fair　for　me。
　　〃Therefore；　my　dear　young　friend；　I　returned　without　hearing
anything　about　the　others。　I　know　neither　who　got　home　safely　nor
who　were　lost　but；　as　in　duty　bound；　I　will　give　you　without　reserve
the　reports　that　have　reached　me　since　I　have　been　here　in　my　own
house。　They　say　the　Myrmidons　returned　home　safely　under　Achilles'　son
Neoptolemus；　so　also　did　the　valiant　son　of　Poias；　Philoctetes。
Idomeneus；　again；　lost　no　men　at　sea；　and　all　his　followers　who
escaped　death　in　the　field　got　safe　home　with　him　to　Crete。　No
matter　how　far　out　of　the　world　you　live；　you　will　have　heard　of
Agamemnon　and　the　bad　end　he　came　to　at　the　hands　of　Aegisthus…　and
a　fearful　reckoning　did　Aegisthus　presently　pay。　See　what　a　good　thing
it　is　for　a　man　to　leave　a　son　behind　him　to　do　as　Orestes　did；　who
killed　false　Aegisthus　the　murderer　of　his　noble　father。　You　too；
then…　for　you　are　a　tall；　smart…looking　fellow…　show　your　mettle　and
make　yourself　a　name　in　story。〃
　　〃Nestor　son　of　Neleus；〃　answered　Telemachus；　〃honour　to　the
Achaean　name；　the　Achaeans　applaud　Orestes　and　his　name　will　live
through　all　time　for　he　has　avenged　his　father　nobly。　Would　that
heaven　might　grant　me　to　do　like　vengeance　on　the　insolence　of　the
wicked　suitors；　who　are　ill　treating　me　and　plotting　my　ruin；　but
the　gods　have　no　such　happiness　in　store　for　me　and　for　my　father；
so　we　must　bear　it　as　best　we　may。〃
　　〃My　friend；〃　said　Nestor；　〃now　that　you　remind　me；　I　remember　to
have　heard　that　your　mother　has　many　suitors；　who　are　ill　disposed
towards　you　and　are　making　havoc　of　your　estate。　Do　you　submit　to　this
tamely；　or　are　public　feeling　and　the　voice　of　heaven　against　you？　Who
knows　but　what　Ulysses　may　come　back　after　all；　and　pay　these
scoundrels　in　full；　either　single…handed　or　with　a　force　of　Achaeans
behind　him？　If　Minerva　were　to　take　as　great　a　liking　to　you　as　she
did　to　Ulysses　when　we　were　fighting　before　Troy　（for　I　never　yet
saw　the　gods　so　openly　fond　of　any　one　as　Minerva　then　was　of　your
father）；　if　she　would　take　as　good　care　of　you　as　she　did　of　him；
these　wooers　would　soon　some　of　them　him；　forget　their　wooing。〃
　　Telemachus　answered；　〃I　can　expect　nothing　of　the　kind；　it　would
be　far　too　much　to　hope　for。　I　dare　not　let　myself　think　of　it。　Even
though　the　gods　themselves　willed　it　no　such　good　fortune　could　befall
me。〃
　　On　this　Minerva　said；　〃Telemachus；　what　are　you　talking　about？
Heaven　has　a　long　arm　if　it　is　minded　to　save　a　man；　and　if　it　were
me；　I　should　not　care　how　much　I　suffered　before　getting　home；
provided　I　could　be　safe　when　I　was　once　there。　I　would　rather　this；
than　get　home　quickly；　and　then　be　killed　in　my　own　house　as　Agamemnon
was　by　the　treachery　of　Aegisthus　and　his　wife。　Still；　death　is
certain；　and　when　a　man's　hour　is　come；　not　even　the　gods　can　save
him；　no　matter　how　fond　they　are　of　him。〃
　　〃Mentor；〃　answered　Telemachus；　〃do　not　let　us　talk　about　it　any
more。　There　is　no　chance　of　my　father's　ever　coming　back；　the　gods
have　long　since　counselled　his　destruction。　There　is　something　else；
however；　about　which　I　should　like　to　ask　Nestor；　for　he　knows　much
more　than　any　one　else　does。　They　say　he　has　reigned　for　three
generations　so　that　it　is　like　talking　to　an　immortal。　Tell　me；
therefore；　Nestor；　and　tell　me　true；　how　did　Agamemnon　come　to　die
in　that　way？　What　was　Menelaus　doing？　And　how　came　false　Aegisthus
to　kill　so　far　better　a　man　than　himself？　Was　Menelaus　away　from
Achaean　Argos；　voyaging　elsewhither　among　mankind；　that　Aegisthus　took
heart　and　killed　Agamemnon？〃
　　〃I　will　tell　you　truly；〃　answered　Nestor；　〃and　indeed　you　have
yourself　divined　how　it　all　happened。　If　Menelaus　when　he　got　back
from　Troy　had　found　Aegisthus　still　alive　in　his　house；　there　would
have　been　no　barrow　heaped　up　for　him；　not　even　when　he　was　dead；
but　he　would　have　been　thrown　outside　the　city　to　dogs　and　vultures；
and　not　a　woman　would　have　mourned　him；　for　he　had　done　a　deed　of
great　wickedness；　but　we　were　over　there；　fighting　hard　at　Troy；　and
Aegisthus　who　was　taking　his　ease　quietly　in　the　heart　of　Argos；
cajoled　Agamemnon's　wife　Clytemnestra　with　incessant　flattery。
　　〃At　first　she　would　have　nothing　to　do　with　his　wicked　scheme；　for
she　was　of　a　goo