《奥德赛·卷17》第9节
Then Melanthius, the goatherd, spake among them: “Listen, ye wooers of the renowned queen, concerning this stranger, for verily I have seen him before. The swineherd truly was his guide hither, but of him I have no certain knowledge, whence he avows him to be born.” So spake he, but Antinous rebuked the swineherd, saying: “Oh notorious swineherd, wherefore, I pray thee, didst thou bring this man to the city? Have we not vagrants enough besides, plaguy beggars, kill-joys of the feast? Dost thou count it a light thing that they assemble here and devour the living of thy master, but thou must needs call in this man too?” Then didst thou make answer, swineherd Eumaeus: “Antinous, no fair words are these of thine, noble though thou art. For who ever himself seeks out and bids to the feast a stranger from afar, save only one of those that are craftsmen of the people, a prophet or a healer of ills, or a shipwright or even a godlike minstrel, who can delight all with his song? Nay, these are the men that are welcome over all the wide earth. But none would call a beggar to the banquet, to waste his substance. But thou art ever hard above all the other wooers to the servants of Odysseus, and, beyond all, to me; but behold, I care not, so long as my mistress, the constant Penelope, lives in the halls and godlike Telemachus.” Then wise Telemachus answered him, saying: “Be silent, answer him not, I pray thee, with many words, for Antinous is wont ever to chide us shamefully with bitter speech, yea, and urges the others thereto.” Therewithal he spake winged words to Antinous: “Antinous, verily thou hast a good care for me, as it were a father for his son, thou that biddest me drive our guest from the hall with a harsh command. God forbid that such a thing should be! Take somewhat and give it him: lo, I grudge it not; nay, I charge thee to do it. And herein regard not my mother, nor any of the thralls that are in the house of divine Odysseus. Nay, but thou hast no such thought in thy heart, for thou art far more fain to eat thyself than to give to another.” Then Antinous answered him and spake, saying: “Telemachus, proud of speech, and unrestrained in fury, what word hast thou spoken? If all the wooers should vouchsafe him as much as I, this house would keep him far enough aloof even for three months’ space.” So he spake, and seized the footstool whereon he rested his sleek feet as he sat at the feast, and showed it from beneath the table where it lay. But all the others gave somewhat and filled the wallet with bread and flesh; yea, and even now, Odysseus as he returned to the threshold, was like to escape scot free, making trial of the Achaeans, but he halted by Antinous, and spake to him, saying:
注释摘要
这段场景发生在奥德修斯（Odysseus）的厅堂之内，此前众人刚刚开始宴饮，扮作老年乞丐的奥德修斯遵从雅典娜（Athene）的示意，挨个向求婚者伸手乞食，以此试探这些人当中谁正直、谁不义。起先说话的墨兰透斯（Melanthius）是牧羊奴多利俄斯之子，专管羊群，他在城外的泉边已经辱骂并脚踢过奥德修斯与牧猪奴欧迈俄斯（Eumaeus），此刻在宴席上又向求婚者…