按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
unspeakable drunkenness。 I was lying asleep on the top of Circe's
house； and never thought of coming down again by the great staircase
but fell right off the roof and broke my neck； so my soul down to
the house of Hades。 And now I beseech you by all those whom you have
left behind you； though they are not here； by your wife； by the father
who brought you up when you were a child； and by Telemachus who is the
one hope of your house； do what I shall now ask you。 I know that
when you leave this limbo you will again hold your ship for the Aeaean
island。 Do not go thence leaving me unwaked and unburied behind you；
or I may bring heaven's anger upon you； but burn me with whatever
armour I have； build a barrow for me on the sea shore； that may tell
people in days to come what a poor unlucky fellow I was； and plant
over my grave the oar I used to row with when I was yet alive and with
my messmates。' And I said； 'My poor fellow； I will do all that you
have asked of me。'
〃Thus； then； did we sit and hold sad talk with one another； I on the
one side of the trench with my sword held over the blood； and the
ghost of my comrade saying all this to me from the other side。 Then
came the ghost of my dead mother Anticlea； daughter to Autolycus。 I
had left her alive when I set out for Troy and was moved to tears when
I saw her； but even so； for all my sorrow I would not let her come
near the blood till I had asked my questions of Teiresias。
〃Then came also the ghost of Theban Teiresias； with his golden
sceptre in his hand。 He knew me and said； 'Ulysses； noble son of
Laertes； why； poor man； have you left the light of day and come down
to visit the dead in this sad place？ Stand back from the trench and
withdraw your sword that I may drink of the blood and answer your
questions truly。'
〃So I drew back； and sheathed my sword； whereon when he had drank of
the blood he began with his prophecy。
〃You want to know；' said he； 'about your return home； but heaven
will make this hard for you。 I do not think that you will escape the
eye of Neptune； who still nurses his bitter grudge against you for
having blinded his son。 Still； after much suffering you may get home
if you can restrain yourself and your companions when your ship
reaches the Thrinacian island； where you will find the sheep and
cattle belonging to the sun； who sees and gives ear to everything。
If you leave these flocks unharmed and think of nothing but of getting
home； you may yet after much hardship reach Ithaca； but if you harm
them； then I forewarn you of the destruction both of your ship and
of your men。 Even though you may yourself escape； you will return in
bad plight after losing all your men； ＇in another man's ship； and
you will find trouble in your house； which will be overrun by
high…handed people； who are devouring your substance under the pretext
of paying court and making presents to your wife。
〃'When you get home you will take your revenge on these suitors； and
after you have killed them by force or fraud in your own house； you
must take a well…made oar and carry it on and on； till you come to a
country where the people have never heard of the sea and do not even
mix salt with their food； nor do they know anything about ships； and
oars that are as the wings of a ship。 I will give you this certain
token which cannot escape your notice。 A wayfarer will meet you and
will say it must be a winnowing shovel that you have got upon your
shoulder； on this you must fix the oar in the ground and sacrifice a
ram； a bull； and a boar to Neptune。 Then go home and offer hecatombs
to an the gods in heaven one after the other。 As for yourself； death
shall come to you from the sea； and your life shall ebb away very
gently when you are full of years and peace of mind； and your people
shall bless you。 All that I have said will come true＇。'
〃'This；' I answered； 'must be as it may please heaven； but tell me
and tell me and tell me true； I see my poor mother's ghost close by
us； she is sitting by the blood without saying a word； and though I am
her own son she does not remember me and speak to me； tell me； Sir；
how I can make her know me。'
〃'That；' said he； 'I can soon do Any ghost that you let taste of the
blood will talk with you like a reasonable being； but if you do not
let them have any blood they will go away again。'
〃On this the ghost of Teiresias went back to the house of Hades； for
his prophecyings had now been spoken； but I sat still where I was
until my mother came up and tasted the blood。 Then she knew me at once
and spoke fondly to me； saying； 'My son； how did you come down to this
abode of darkness while you are still alive？ It is a hard thing for
the living to see these places； for between us and them there are
great and terrible waters； and there is Oceanus； which no man can
cross on foot； but he must have a good ship to take him。 Are you all
this time trying to find your way home from Troy； and have you never
yet got back to Ithaca nor seen your wife in your own house？'
〃'Mother；' said I； 'I was forced to come here to consult the ghost
of the Theban prophet Teiresias。 I have never yet been near the
Achaean land nor set foot on my native country； and I have had nothing
but one long series of misfortunes from the very first day that I
set out with Agamemnon for Ilius； the land of noble steeds； to fight
the Trojans。 But tell me； and tell me true； in what way did you die？
Did you have a long illness； or did heaven vouchsafe you a gentle easy
passage to eternity？ Tell me also about my father； and the son whom
I left behind me； is my property still in their hands； or has some one
else got hold of it； who thinks that I shall not return to claim it？
Tell me again what my wife intends doing； and in what mind she is；
does she live with my son and guard my estate securely； or has she
made the best match she could and married again？'
〃My mother answered； 'Your wife still remains in your house； but she
is in great distress of mind and spends her whole time in tears both
night and day。 No one as yet has got possession of your fine property；
and Telemachus still holds your lands undisturbed。 He has to entertain
largely； as of course he must； considering his position as a
magistrate； and how every one invites him； your father remains at
his old place in the country and never goes near the town。 He has no
comfortable bed nor bedding； in the winter he sleeps on the floor in
front of the fire with the men and goes about all in rags； but in
summer； when the warm weather comes on again； he lies out in the
vineyard on a bed of vine leaves thrown anyhow upon the ground。 He
grieves continually about your never having come home； and suffers
more and more as he grows older。 As for my own end it was in this
wise： heaven did not take me swiftly and painlessly in my own house；
nor was I attacked by any illness such as those that generally wear
people out and kill them； but my longing to know what you were doing
and the force of my affection for you… this it was that was the
death of me。'
〃Then I tried to find some way of embracing my mother's ghost。
Thrice I sprang towards her and tried to cla