the odyssey(奥德赛)-第62章

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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　Euryclea　left　the　cloister　to　fetch　some　more　water；
for　the　first　had　been　all　spilt；　and　when　she　had　washed　him　and
anointed　him　with　oil；　Ulysses　drew　his　seat　nearer　to　the　fire　to
warm　himself；　and　hid　the　scar　under　his　rags。　Then　Penelope　began
talking　to　him　and　said：
　　〃Stranger；　I　should　like　to　speak　with　you　briefly　about　another
matter。　It　is　indeed　nearly　bed　time…　for　those；　at　least；　who　can
sleep　in　spite　of　sorrow。　As　for　myself；　heaven　has　given　me　a　life　of
such　unmeasurable　woe；　that　even　by　day　when　I　am　attending　to　my
duties　and　looking　after　the　servants；　I　am　still　weeping　and
lamenting　during　the　whole　time；　then；　when　night　comes；　and　we　all　of
us　go　to　bed；　I　lie　awake　thinking；　and　my　heart　comes　a　prey　to　the
most　incessant　and　cruel　tortures。　As　the　dun　nightingale；　daughter　of
Pandareus；　sings　in　the　early　spring　from　her　seat　in　shadiest
covert　hid；　and　with　many　a　plaintive　trill　pours　out　the　tale　how
by　mishap　she　killed　her　own　child　Itylus；　son　of　king　Zethus；　even　so
does　my　mind　toss　and　turn　in　its　uncertainty　whether　I　ought　to
stay　with　my　son　here；　and　safeguard　my　substance；　my　bondsmen；　and
the　greatness　of　my　house；　out　of　regard　to　public　opinion　and　the
memory　of　my　late　husband；　or　whether　it　is　not　now　time　for　me　to
go　with　the　best　of　these　suitors　who　are　wooing　me　and　making　me　such
magnificent　presents。　As　long　as　my　son　was　still　young；　and　unable　to
understand；　he　would　not　hear　of　my　leaving　my　husband's　house；　but
now　that　he　is　full　grown　he　begs　and　prays　me　to　do　so；　being
incensed　at　the　way　in　which　the　suitors　are　eating　up　his　property。
Listen；　then；　to　a　dream　that　I　have　had　and　interpret　it　for　me　if
you　can。　I　have　twenty　geese　about　the　house　that　eat　mash　out　of　a
trough；　and　of　which　I　am　exceedingly　fond。　I　dreamed　that　a　great
eagle　came　swooping　down　from　a　mountain；　and　dug　his　curved　beak　into
the　neck　of　each　of　them　till　he　had　killed　them　all。　Presently　he
soared　off　into　the　sky；　and　left　them　lying　dead　about　the　yard；
whereon　I　wept　in　my　room　till　all　my　maids　gathered　round　me；　so
piteously　was　I　grieving　because　the　eagle　had　killed　my　geese。　Then
he　came　back　again；　and　perching　on　a　projecting　rafter　spoke　to　me
with　human　voice；　and　told　me　to　leave　off　crying。　'Be　of　good
courage；'　he　said；　'daughter　of　Icarius；　this　is　no　dream；　but　a
vision　of　good　omen　that　shall　surely　come　to　pass。　The　geese　are
the　suitors；　and　I　am　no　longer　an　eagle；　but　your　own　husband；　who　am
come　back　to　you；　and　who　will　bring　these　suitors　to　a　disgraceful
end。'　On　this　I　woke；　and　when　I　looked　out　I　saw　my　geese　at　the
trough　eating　their　mash　as　usual。〃
　　〃This　dream；　Madam；〃　replied　Ulysses；　〃can　admit　but　of　one
interpretation；　for　had　not　Ulysses　himself　told　you　how　it　shall　be
fulfilled？　The　death　of　the　suitors　is　portended；　and　not　one　single
one　of　them　will　escape。〃
　　And　Penelope　answered；　〃Stranger；　dreams　are　very　curious　and
unaccountable　things；　and　they　do　not　by　any　means　invariably　come
true。　There　are　two　gates　through　which　these　unsubstantial　fancies
proceed；　the　one　is　of　horn；　and　the　other　ivory。　Those　that　come
through　the　gate　of　ivory　are　fatuous；　but　those　from　the　gate　of　horn
mean　something　to　those　that　see　them。　I　do　not　think；　however；　that
my　own　dream　came　through　the　gate　of　horn；　though　I　and　my　son　should
be　most　thankful　if　it　proves　to　have　done　so。　Furthermore　I　say…
and　lay　my　saying　to　your　heart…　the　coming　dawn　will　usher　in　the
ill…omened　day　that　is　to　sever　me　from　the　house　of　Ulysses；　for　I　am
about　to　hold　a　tournament　of　axes。　My　husband　used　to　set　up　twelve
axes　in　the　court；　one　in　front　of　the　other；　like　the　stays　upon
which　a　ship　is　built；　he　would　then　go　back　from　them　and　shoot　an
arrow　through　the　whole　twelve。　I　shall　make　the　suitors　try　to　do　the
same　thing；　and　whichever　of　them　can　string　the　bow　most　easily；
and　send　his　arrow　through　all　the　twelve　axes；　him　will　I　follow；　and
quit　this　house　of　my　lawful　husband；　so　goodly　and　so　abounding　in
wealth。　But　even　so；　I　doubt　not　that　I　shall　remember　it　in　my
dreams。〃
　　Then　Ulysses　answered；　〃Madam　wife　of　Ulysses；　you　need　not　defer
your　tournament；　for　Ulysses　will　return　ere　ever　they　can　string
the　bow；　handle　it　how　they　will；　and　send　their　arrows　through　the
iron。〃
　　To　this　Penelope　said；　〃As　long；　sir；　as　you　will　sit　here　and
talk　to　me；　I　can　have　no　desire　to　go　to　bed。　Still；　people　cannot　do
permanently　without　sleep；　and　heaven　has　appointed　us　dwellers　on
earth　a　time　for　all　things。　I　will　therefore　go　upstairs　and
recline　upon　that　couch　which　I　have　never　ceased　to　flood　with　my
tears　from　the　day　Ulysses　set　out　for　the　city　with　a　hateful　name。〃
　　She　then　went　upstairs　to　her　own　room；　not　alone；　but　attended　by
her　maidens；　and　when　there；　she　lamented　her　dear　husband　till
Minerva　shed　sweet　sleep　over　her　eyelids。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　BOOK　XX。
　　ULYSSES　slept　in　the　cloister　upon　an　undressed　bullock's　hide；　on
the　top　of　which　he　threw　several　skins　of　the　sheep　the　suitors　had
eaten；　and　Eurynome　threw　a　cloak　over　him　after　he　had　laid　himself
down。　There；　then；　Ulysses　lay　wakefully　brooding　upon　the　way　in
which　he　should　kill　the　suitors；　and　by　and　by；　the　women　who　had
been　in　the　habit　of　misconducting　themselves　with　them；　left　the
house　giggling　and　laughing　with　one　another。　This　made　Ulysses　very
angry；　and　he　doubted　whether　to　get　up　and　kill　every　single　one　of
them　then　and　there；　or　to　let　them　sleep　one　more　and　last　time
with　the　suitors。　His　heart　growled　within　him；　and　as　a　bitch　with
puppies　growls　and　shows　her　teeth　when　she　sees　a　stranger；　so　did
his　heart　growl　with　anger　at　the　evil　deeds　that　were　being　done：　but
he　beat　his　breast　and　said；　〃Heart；　be　still；　you　had　worse　than　this
to　bear　on　the　day　when　the　terrible　Cyclops　ate　your　brave
companions；　yet　you　bore　it　in　silence　till　your　cunning　got　you
safe　out　of　the　cave；　though　you　made　sure　of　being　killed。〃
　　Thus　he　chided　with　his　heart；　and　checked　it　into　endurance；　but　he
tossed　about　as　one　who　turns　a　paunch　full　of　blood　and　fat　in
front　of　a　hot　fire；　doing　it　first　on　one　side　and　then　on　the　other；
that　he　may　get　it　cooked　as　soon　as　possible；　even　so　did　he　turn
himself　about　from　side　to　side；　thinking　all　the　time　how；　single
handed　as　he　was；　he　should　contrive　to　kill　so　large　a　body　of　men　as
the　wicked　suitors。　But　by　and　by　Minerva　came　down　from　heaven　in　the
likeness　of　a　woman；　and　hovered　over　his　head　saying；　〃My　poor
unhappy　man；　why　do　you　lie　awake　in　this　way？　This　is　your　house：
your　wife　is　safe　inside　it；　and　so　is　your　son　who　is　just　such　a
young　man　as　any　father　may　be　proud　of。〃
　　〃Goddess；〃　answered　Ulysses；　〃all　that　you　have　said　is　true；　but
I　am　in　some　doubt　as　to　how　I　shall　be　able　to　kill　these　wicked
suitors　single　handed；　seeing　what　a　number　of　them　there　always
are。　And　there　is　this　further　difficulty；　which　is　still　more
considerable。　Supposing　that　with　Jove's　and　your　assistance　I　succeed
in　killing　them；　I　must　ask　you　to　consider　where　I　am　to　escape　to
from　their　avengers　when　it　is　all　over。〃
　　〃For　shame；〃　replied　Minerva；　〃why；　any　one　else　would　trust　a　worse
ally　than　myself；　even　though　that　ally　were　only　a　mortal　and　less
wise　than　I　am。　Am　I　not　a　goddess；　and　have　I　not　protected　you
throughout　in　all　your　troubles？　I　tell　you　plainly　that　even　though
there　were　fifty　bands　of　men　surrounding　us　and　eager　to　kill　us；　you
should　take　all　their　sheep　and　cattle；　and　drive　them　away　with
you。　But　go　to　sleep；　it　is　a　very　bad　thing　to　lie　awake　all　night；
and　you　shall　be　out　of　your　troubles　before　long。〃
　　As　she　spoke　she　shed　sleep　over　his　eyes；　and　then　went　back　to
Olympus。
　　While　Ulysses　was　thus　yielding　himself　to　a　very　deep　slumber
that　eased　the　burden　of　his　sorrows；　his　admirable　wife　awoke；　and
sitting　up　in　her　bed　began　to　cry。　When　she　had　relieved　herself　by
weeping　she　prayed　to　Diana　sa