2014年7月22日 星期二

Odyssey 22. 116-159 多麼希望為他人留一條活路

Bk XXII:116-159 Melanthius raids the storeroom


Odysseus果真武功高強,一下子就見屍體滿地,真是恐怖的一幕。此刻牧羊奴Melanthius居然還想偷武器給追求者,一般人都批評他的背叛,但是,至少他從頭至尾支持追求者,還有,我覺得Odysseus也是有得勝之不武,至少應該有個公平的比武,大家都要類似的武器。總之,我在讀到這段,還是同情弱者,即使這群追求者曾經很白目地想娶Penelope,又很誇張地窩在Odysseus的家吃吃喝喝,但是,他們有罪大惡極嗎? 倒是Odysseus如此殺人,犯下滔天大罪。

古希臘思維強調中庸與謙卑,史詩中大部分的英雄都恃才傲物,最終都遭到更大的懲罰。

Odysseus和Telemachus就是不願意留給別人一條活路,每一扇門都緊緊封鎖住:

  
ὀρσοθύρη δέ τις ἔσκεν ἐϋδμήτῳ ἐνὶ τοίχῳ,
ἀκρότατον δὲ παρ᾽ οὐδὸν ἐϋσταθέος μεγάροιο
ἦν ὁδὸς ἐς λαύρην, σανίδες δ᾽ ἔχον εὖ ἀραρυῖαι.
τὴν δ᾽ Ὀδυσεὺς φράζεσθαι ἀνώγει δῖον ὑφορβὸν
ἑσταότ᾽ ἄγχ᾽ αὐτῆς: μία δ᾽ οἴη γίγνετ᾽ ἐφορμή.
(Odyssey 22.126-130)

In that well-constructed wall there was a side door,
and close to the upper level of the threshold
into the sturdy hall the entrance to a passage,
shut off with close-fitting doors. So Odysseus
told the worthy swineherd to stand beside this door
and watch, for there was just one way of reaching it.
ὀρσοθύρη a door high up in the wall
ἄκρος at the farthest point
λαύρα alley, lane, passage
σανίς board, plank, timber





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