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：

  

http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0135%3Abook%3D22%3Acard%3D126

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)

http://records.viu.ca/~johnstoi/homer/odyssey22.htm

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