第 29 节
作者:水王      更新:2021-12-07 09:36      字数:9322
  while you are talking with the enchantress。 Especially when she offers you
  food; or a draught of wine out of her goblet; be careful to fill your nostrils
  with the flower's fragrance。 Follow these directions; and you may defy her
  magic arts to change you into a fox。〃
  Quicksilver   then   gave   him   some   further   advice   how   to   behave;   and
  bidding   him   be   bold   and   prudent;   again   assured   him   that;   powerful   as
  Circe   was;   he   would   have   a   fair   prospect   of   coming   safely   out   of   her
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  enchanted   palace。   After   listening   attentively;   Ulysses   thanked   his   good
  friend;   and   resumed   his   way。   But   he   had   taken   only   a   few   steps;   when;
  recollecting some other questions which he wished to ask; he turned round
  again;   and   beheld   nobody   on   the   spot   where   Quicksilver   had   stood;   for
  that   winged   cap   of   his;   and   those   winged   shoes;   with   the   help   of   the
  winged staff; had carried him quickly out of sight。
  When Ulysses reached the lawn; in front of the palace; the lions and
  other savage animals came bounding to meet him; and would have fawned
  upon him  and licked   his feet。  But the  wise king struck at   them with   his
  long spear; and sternly bade them begone out of his path; for he knew that
  they had once been bloodthirsty men; and would now tear him limb from
  limb; instead of fawning upon him; could they do the mischief that was in
  their   hearts。   The   wild   beasts   yelped   and   glared   at   him;   and   stood   at   a
  distance; while he ascended the palace steps。
  On entering the hall; Ulysses saw the magic fountain in the center of it。
  The up…gushing water had now again taken the shape of a man in a long;
  white; fleecy robe; who appeared to be making gestures of welcome。 The
  king   likewise   heard   the   noise   of   the   shuttle   in   the   loom   and   the   sweet
  melody   of   the   beautiful   woman's   song;   and   then   the   pleasant   voices   of
  herself and the four maidens talking together; with peals of merry laughter
  intermixed。      But   Ulysses    did   not  waste    much     time   in  listening   to  the
  laughter or the song。 He leaned his spear against one of the pillars of the
  hall; and then; after loosening his   sword in the scabbard; stepped   boldly
  forward; and threw the folding doors wide open。 The moment she beheld
  his stately figure standing in the doorway; the beautiful woman rose from
  the loom; and ran to meet him with a glad smile throwing its sunshine over
  her face; and both her hands extended。
  〃Welcome; brave stranger!〃 cried she。 〃We were expecting you。〃
  And the nymph with the sea…green hair made a courtesy down to the
  ground; and likewise bade him welcome; so did her sister with the bodice
  of   oaken   bark;   and   she   that   sprinkled   dew…drops   from  her   fingers'   ends;
  and the fourth one with some oddity which I cannot remember。 And Circe;
  as the beautiful enchantress was called (who had deluded so many persons
  that she did not doubt of being able to delude Ulysses; not imagining how
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  wise he was); again addressed him:
  〃Your   companions;〃   said   she;   〃have   already   been   received   into   my
  palace; and have enjoyed the hospitable treatment to which the propriety
  of their behavior so well entitles them。 If such be your pleasure; you shall
  first take some refreshment; and then join them in the elegant apartment
  which they now occupy。 See; I and my maidens have been weaving their
  figures into this piece of tapestry。〃
  She pointed to the web of beautifully…woven cloth in the loom。 Circe
  and   the   four   nymphs   must   have   been   very   diligently   at   work   since   the
  arrival of   the   mariners; for   a   great   many   yards   of tapestry  had   nw   been
  wrought; in addition to what I before described。 In this new part; Ulysses
  saw   his   two   and   twenty   friends   represented   as   sitting   on   cushions   and
  canopied thrones; greedily devouring dainties; and quaffing deep draughts
  of   wine。   The   work   had   not   yet   gone   any   further。   O;   no;   indeed。   The
  enchantress was far too cunning to let Ulysses see the mischief which her
  magic arts had since brought upon the gormandizers。
  〃As   for   yourself;   valiant   sir;〃   said   Circe;   〃judging   by   the   dignity   of
  your aspect; I take you to be nothing less than a king。 Deign to follow me;
  and you shall be treated as befits your rank。〃
  So   Ulysses      followed     her   into  the  oval   saloon;   where      his  two   and
  twenty comrades had devoured the banquet; which ended so disastrously
  for themselves。 But; all this while; he had held the snow…white flower in
  his hand; and had constantly smelt of it while Circe was speaking; and as
  he crossed the threshold of the saloon; he took good care to inhale several
  long and deep snuffs of its fragrance。 Instead of two and twenty thrones;
  which   had   before   been   ranged   around   the   wall;   there   was   now   only   a
  single throne; in the center of the apartment。 But this was surely the most
  magnificent seat that ever a king or an emperor reposed himself upon; all
  made   of   chased   gold;   studded   with   precious   stones;   with   a   cushion   that
  looked   like   a   soft   heap   of   living   roses;   and   overhung   by   a   canopy   of
  sunlight   which   Circe   knew   how   to   weave   into   drapery。  The   enchantress
  took   Ulysses   by   the   hand;   and   made   him   sit   down   upon   this   dazzling
  throne。 Then; clapping her hands; she summoned the chief butler。
  〃Bring hither;〃 said she; 〃the goblet that is set apart for kings to drink
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  out of。 And fill it with the same delicious wine which my royal brother;
  King     Aetes;   praised   so   highly;   when    he  last  visited   me   with   my    fair
  daughter   Medea。   That   good   and   amiable   child!   Were   she   now   here;   it
  would delight her to see me offering this wine to my honored guest。〃
  But Ulysses; while the butler was gone for the wine; held the snow…
  white flower to his nose。
  〃Is it a wholesome wine?〃 he asked。
  At   this   the   four   maidens   tittered;   whereupon   the   enchantress   looked
  round at them; with an aspect of severity。
  〃It is the wholesomest juice that ever was squeezed out of the grape;〃
  said she; 〃for; instead of disguising a man; as other liquor is apt to do; it
  brings him to his true self; and shows him as he ought to be。〃
  The   chief   butler   liked   nothing   better   than   to   see   people   turned   into
  swine; or making any kind of a beast of themselves; so he made haste to
  bring the royal goblet; filled with a liquid as bright as gold; and which kept
  sparkling     upward;     and    throwing    a   sunny    spray   over    the  brim。    But;
  delightfully   as   the   wine    looked;   it   was   mingled    with  the   most   potent
  enchantments that Circe knew how to concoct。 For every drop of the pure
  grape juice there were two drops of the pure mischief; and the danger of
  the thing was; that the mischief made it taste all the better。 The mere smell
  of the bubbles; which effervesced at the brim; was enough to turn a man's
  beard into pig's bristles; or make a lion's claws grow out of his fingers; or a
  fox's brush behind him。
  〃Drink;   my   noble   guest;〃   said   Circe;   smiling;   as   she   presented   him
  with    the  goblet。   〃You    will   find  in  this  draught    a  solace   for   all  your
  troubles。〃
  King Ulysses took the goblet with his right hand; while with his left he
  held the snow…white flower to his nostrils; and drew in so long a breath
  that his lungs were quite filled with its pure and simple fragrance。 Then;
  drinking off all the wine; he looked the enchantress calmly in the face。
  〃Wretch;〃 cried Circe; giving him a smart stroke with her wand; 〃how
  dare you keep your human shape a moment longer! Take the form of the
  brute whom you most resemble。 If a hog; go join your fellow…swine in the
  sty; if a lion; a wolf; a tiger; go howl with the wild beasts on the lawn; if a
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  fox; go exercise your craft in stealing poultry。 Thou hast quaffed off my
  wine; and canst be man no longer。〃
  But;    such    was    the