第一卷

奥林波斯神明一致允许奥德修斯回到家乡

Book l

 Tell me, O Muse, of the man of many devices, who wandered full many ways after he had sacked the sacred citadel of Troy. 

告诉我吧，缪斯，那位睿智的英雄在世人尽知的特洛伊城陷落之后，四处漂泊后来怎样了？

Many were the men whose cities he saw and whose mind he learned, 

流离一个又一个的城邦，见识过不同的地域风情和别样风雅，

aye, and many the woes he suffered in his heart upon the sea, 5 seeking to win his own life and the return of his comrades. 

为了自救，为了伙伴们平安归家，他历经痛苦，漂泊挣扎，

Yet even so he saved not his comrades, 

哪怕他竭尽所能，可同伴们已经无可救药，

 though he desired it sore, for through their own blind folly they perished—fools, who devoured the kine of Helios Hyperion; 

他们死于自己无知和莽撞，他们尽敢吃了太阳神赫利奥斯的牛群，

 who devoured the kine of Helios Hyperion; but he took from them the day of their returning.10

如此奇葩，神只能阻止他们归家，

Of these things, goddess, daughter of Zeus, beginning where thou wilt, tell thou even unto us.

 所有这些种种事情的由来，宙斯的女儿，不管从哪儿提起，尽您所知，

烦请一一道来吧。

Now all the rest, as many as had escaped sheer destruction, were at home, safe from both war and sea, 

现在，除了那些幸免于彻底毁灭的人外，其他人都回到家中，远离战争和海洋的惊涛喧哗。

but Odysseus alone, filled with longing for his return and for his wife, did the queenly nymph Calypso, that bright goddess,15

而唯有奥德修斯，对回家与妻子的无比眷恋，却难逃那位高贵的女神卡吕普索的魔抓，

keep back in her hollow caves, yearning that he should be her husband. 

将其强留山谷幽洞，要让他做丈夫做娃他爸。

But when, as the seasons revolved, the year came in which the gods had ordained that he should return home to Ithaca, 

随着季节变换岁月流转，时机终于来啦，神明终得以让他回家，回到依塔卡，

not even there was he free from toils, even among his own folk. And all the gods pitied him [20] 

即便终于回到自己的故乡人中，也难逃纷争，众神无不同情他，

save Poseidon; but he continued to rage unceasingly against godlike Odysseus until at length he reached his own land. 

唯有波塞冬，继续对神一般的奥德修斯心怀不满，直到最后他终于得以归家。

Howbeit Poseidon had gone among the far-off Ethiopians—the Ethiopians who dwell sundered in twain, 

波塞冬这时正造访老远的埃塞俄比亚，几乎生活在天际两边的埃塞俄比亚人被分成两趴

the farthermost of men, some where Hyperion sets and some where he rises, [25] 

一部分生活在太阳升起的地方，另一批人生活的地方可以说是落日天涯，

there to receive a hecatomb of bulls and rams, and there he was taking his joy, sitting at the feast;

大神在那儿接受丰盛的牛羊百畜大祭，坐享愉悦，众声喧哗，

but the other gods were gathered together in the halls of Olympian Zeus. 

与此同时，一众神明欢聚在奥林波斯宙斯的巨大宫殿下。

Among them the father of gods and men was first to speak, 

众人和神父开始发话

for in his heart he thought of noble Aegisthus, [30]

心中念想起高高在上的埃吉斯托斯，

whom far-famed Orestes, Agamemnon's son, had slain. 

他就是死在阿伽门农之子之手，被那个名噪一时的奥瑞斯特斯给一命咔嚓，

Thinking on him he spoke among the immortals, and said: “Look you now, how ready mortals are to blame the gods.

念及此人，对着永生的神明，宙斯开口：“可悲啊——我说！尔等凡人只会责怪上天众神只会开口就骂，

It is from us, they say, that evils come, but they even of themselves, through their own blind folly, have sorrows beyond that which is ordained. [35]

说那什么天灾来自于我们，实际上是他们不守本分，过分的欲求才招致悲催的惩罚。

Even as now Aegisthus, beyond that which was ordained, took to himself the wedded wife of the son of Atreus, and slew him on his return, 

如现今埃吉斯托斯不守本分，妄自强夺阿特柔斯儿子的结发爱妻，在男人回家的路上让其命断天涯，

though well he knew of sheer destruction, seeing that we spake to him before,

尽管他知道自己早晚会有报应，我们也曾经明确提醒过他这一茬，

sending Hermes, the keen-sighted Argeiphontes, that he should neither slay the man nor woo his wife; [40] 

曾派遣面露凶光的弑阿尔戈斯神赫尔墨斯，严厉警告他悬崖勒马，别杀阿伽门农，别霸占人妻：

for from Orestes shall come vengeance for the son of Atreus when once he has come to manhood and longs for his own land. 

“奥瑞斯特斯一定会前来寻仇，为了阿特柔斯的儿子，当他长大懂事，一旦他踏上故乡路决定归家，

So Hermes spoke, but for all his good intent he prevailed not upon the heart of Aegisthus; and now he has paid the full price of all.”

赫耳墨斯曾好心相劝，明确示警，最终无能为力使埃吉索斯回头是岸；此时此刻，他付出了所有的代价。”

Then the goddess, flashing-eyedAthena, answered him: [45] 

两眼发光的女神雅典娜接过话：

“Father of us all, thou son of Cronos, high above all lords, aye, verily that man lies low in a destruction that is his due; 

“我们的爸爸，克罗诺斯之子，至高无上的王者，埃吉索斯就是罪有应得，活该死于他杀，

so, too, may any other also be destroyed who does such deeds. 

凡是有这种恶行的人，只能有这般下场。

But my heart is torn for wise Odysseus, hapless man, who far from his friends has long been suffering woes [50] 

此时我的心窝子正为睿智的奥德修斯煎熬作痛，真是个苦命的人，长期远离亲朋好友，屡屡遭受命运不该有的惩罚，

in a sea-girt isle, where is the navel of the sea. Tis a wooded isle, and therein dwells a goddess, 

流落到巨浪重重的孤岛，茫茫大洋的中心，这里林木郁郁葱葱，这里是一位女神的家，

daughter of Atlas of baneful mind, who knows the depths of every sea, and himself holds the tall pillars which keep earth and heaven apart. [55] 

这是恶毒的阿特拉斯的女儿，他父亲能知晓整个海洋甚至眼能见底，就是那位独自撑着擎天柱，把大地和天空上下分开的阿特拉斯，就是这位大拿。

His daughter it is that keeps back that wretched, sorrowing man; and ever with soft and wheedling words she beguiles him that he may forget Ithaca. 

就是他的宝贝女儿束缚住那个一脸沧桑的苦命人，时常用甜美温柔、嘴上抹了蜜一般的好听话迷惑他的心，要让他忘掉伊萨卡，

But Odysseus, in his longing to see were it but the smoke leaping up from his own land, yearns to die.

只是奥德修斯一心只想遥看故乡的炊烟，心如死灰。

Yet thy [60] heart doth not regard it, Olympian. Did not Odysseus beside the ships of the Argives offer thee sacrifice without stint in the broad land of Troy?

然而你，俄林波斯神主，你却不曾对他有恻隐之心，难道奥德修斯不曾为你献祭讨你欢心，在阿耳吉维人的船沿，还有在一马平川的特洛伊原野啊？

Wherefore then didst thou conceive such wrath against him, O Zeus?” Then Zeus, the cloud-gatherer, answered her and said: “My child, what a word has escaped the barrier of thy teeth? [65] 

为何这样无情，这般冷酷待他？”掌管云彩的天神宙斯回话女神，如此回敬说：“我的宝贝孩儿啊，这是从你牙齿缝蹦出来的话吗？

How should I, then, forget godlike Odysseus, who is beyond all mortals in wisdom, and beyond all has paid sacrifice to the immortal gods, who hold broad heaven? 

谁会忘记像神一般的奥德修斯？他是凡人中的佼佼者，给主宰天庭宇宙的不老神明们回馈祭品极多这点就数他最积极的了。

Nay, it is Poseidon, the earth-enfolder, who is ever filled with stubborn wrath because of the Cyclops, whom Odysseus blinded of his eye— [70]

是一手遮天的波塞冬一直为独眼龙巨怪的事情怀恨在心，奥德修斯弄瞎了他的独眼，

even the godlike Polyphemus, whose might is greatest among all the Cyclopes;

就是那天神一样的波吕斐摩斯，一众独眼龙巨怪中就数他的强冠天下;

 and the nymph Thoosa bore him, daughter of Phorcys who rules over the unrestingsea;for in the hollow caves she lay with Poseidon.

他是神仙女人托奥萨生下，是天下咸海的掌管者福尔库斯的女儿，这女人曾经在山木林森的洞屋里和波塞冬浓情交合。

From that time forth Poseidon, the earth-shaker, [75] does not indeed slay Odysseus, but makes him a wanderer from his native land.

因为这个原因，地震神波塞冬尽管不大可能会杀死奥德修斯，但是却让人家远离故乡浪迹天涯。

But come, let us who are here all take thought of his return, that he may come home

现在是让我们一起设法让他回归故里的时候啦，得让他回到久别的家；

and Poseidon will let go his anger, for he will in no wise be able, against all the immortal gods and in their despite, to contend alone.”

波塞冬总会消解怒火，因为他总不至于固执己见违逆天上众神之大不韪，与天庭众神对抗。”

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