奥德修斯的归途

奥德修斯的归途Odysseus’journeyhome引言Introduction我看到平凡的我也会有一刻不普通，前方是未知，迎面是海风，塞壬的歌会让人忘记初衷，他们说每一个风浪都能够淹没我，可我会像奥德修斯一样，朝着心中的方向，哪怕众神会在彼岸阻挡。这首歌的灵感来自于《奥德赛》中的英雄奥德修斯。ThemomentwhenIfinallygettoseesimplemebeingunique.Unknownscenesahead,oceanbreezetomyface.Sirensingingistemptingmetoforgetintention.Theysaythateverywavewillknockmeoffmyfeet.LikeOdysseus，Iwilladvance.Ledbymyheart.EvenifthegodsstopmewhenIreachtheotherside.ThesongwasinspiredbyOdysseus,theherooftheOdyssey.《奥德赛》是荷马史诗的第二部作品，创作于公元前八世纪末，是现存最古老的西方文学作品之一。这部作品描写了英雄奥德修斯十年特洛伊战争后在海上颠簸流离十年，期间误食“忘忧果”、打败独眼巨人、得风神帮助、路遇女巫岛、躲避塞壬歌声、沉迷卡普吕索等等，终于回到故乡伊萨卡的故事，充分展现了那个时期古希腊人对于探索新世界、新知识的孜孜不倦的精神，以及在面对困境时不屈不挠、智勇双全的品格。在BBC纪录片《诸神之战》中，我们可以看到节目以奥德修斯的征程为主线，以妻子配涅洛佩应对求婚者的骚扰为副线，贯穿着科学家对故事真实性的考察，来探索奥德修斯的伟大品格，接下来，我将对几个故事着重描述并分析，向奥德修斯致敬。TheOdyssey,thesecondofHomer'sepics,waswritteninthelate8thcenturyBCandisoneoftheoldestextantworksofwesternliterature.ThisworkdescribesOdysseusaftertenyearsoftheTrojanwar,joltedawarfortenyearsatsea,eatingduringtheperiodof"lotus",defeatingamonstrouscyclops,gettingthehelpofAeolus,passingbythewitchisland,avoidingSiren’ssong,indulgingCalypsoandsoon,finallyreturnedtohishometownIthacastory,fullyshowsthattheancientGreeksatirelessspirittoexplorenewworld,newknowledge,andperseveranceinthefaceoftheplightandwiseforacharacter.WecanallembracethestoryofOdyssey,becauseit’saboutapersonfacedwithalotoffrustrationsandobstacles.斯巴达和特洛伊之间关于海伦的争斗波及了伊萨卡，为了荣誉，奥德修斯决定出战，没有想到这一战僵持了十年，因为特洛伊城墙坚不可摧，最后足智多谋的奥德修斯想出了著名的“木马计”，使特洛伊军队误以为是战争胜利的成果，带木马进城。奥德修斯一行人在特洛伊人熟睡时钻出木马，特洛伊人猝不及防。奥德修斯的计谋成功了，他踏上了回家的路。在古希腊神话中，英雄常常是因为骁勇善战而被人崇敬，但奥德修斯是因为聪明才智。在后面的归途中，他无数次在死亡边缘徘徊，但他总能找到办法解决问题。ThebattlebetweenSpartaandTroyoverHelenspreadtoIthaca.Forhonor,Odysseusdecidedtofight.Unexpectedly,thewarwasdeadlockedfortenyears,becausethewallsofTroywereunbreakable,andfinallytheresourcefulOdysseuscameupwiththefamousTrojanHorseStrategy,whichmadetheTrojanArmymistaketheTrojanHorseastheresultofthevictoryofthewarandbroughtitintothecity.TheTrojanswerecaughtoffguardwhenOdysseusandhispartygotoutofaTrojanhorsewhiletheTrojanswereasleep.Odysseus'splansucceededandhesetoutonhiswayhome.InancientGreekmythology,heroeswereoftenreveredfortheirbraveryandfightingability,butOdysseuswasreveredforhisintelligence.Onthewayback,helingeredontheedgeofdeathcountlesstimes,buthealwaysfoundawaytosolvetheproblem.重大的教训MajorLessons奥德修斯的队伍路过伊斯马洛斯时将它洗劫一空，胜利来得太快，在岛上他们热烈庆祝、酒足饭饱，醉的不省人事，我们可以用得意忘形来形容他们。第二天清晨，当地人趁他们还在睡梦中突袭，丧失了72名船名。其余人死里逃生。这给了奥德修斯一个血淋淋的教训，那就是不要错误地低估敌人的实力，己方应该保持随时准备战斗的状态，尤其是面对波涛汹涌的大海和神秘未知的陆地。用作者荷马的话来说就是“alwaysbeprepared，neverletyourguarddown.”这就像中国古代卧薪尝胆的故事，夫差大肆庆祝，勾践忍气吞声，最后来一个绝地大反杀。Odysseus'teamlootedIsmarusastheypassed,andthevictorycametooquickly.Ontheislandtheycelebrated,drankandate,andweredrunkandunconscious.Wecandescribethemwithcomplacencyandforgetfulness.Intheearlymorningofthenextday,thelocalsraidedwhiletheywerestillasleepandlost72boatnames.Therestofthepeopleescaped.ThisgaveOdysseusabloodylesson,thatis,donotmisestimatethestrengthoftheenemy,weshouldkeepreadytofightatalltimes,especiallyinthefaceoftheroughseaandmysteriousunknownland.InHomer'swords,"alwaysbeprepared,neverletyourguarddown."It'slikethestoryofancientChina,whileFuChaicelebrated,GouJianswallowedhisbreathandfinallycametoaJedicounter-attack.一场飓风，让他们偏离了正确航线，来到了一个让人醉生梦死的地方。当地人非常欢迎他们，拿出了一种香甜的花款待他们。这种花其实是毒品，罂粟，部下们被毒品洗脑，在这里感到了无忧无虑，不愿再回家。人人都向往无忧无虑，但用毒品来达到这个目的，未免太虚妄了。这一个场景放到现在也很有意义，在达到一个目的的途中，我们非常容易疲劳、痛苦，于是就会纵容自己犯错来达到快乐。幸好，奥德修斯是清醒的，他只有一个目的，回家。Ahurricane,sothattheydeviatedfromtherightcourse,cametoaplacewherepeopledreamofdeath.Thelocalpeoplewelcomedthemverymuchandofferedthemasweetflower.Thiskindofflowerwasactuallydrug,poppy,thesubordinateswerebrainwashedbydrugs,feltcarefreehere,didnotwanttogohomeagain.Everyoneyearnedforcarefree,butitistoovaintousedrugstoachievethisgoal.Fortunately,Odysseuswassober,hehadonlyonepurpose,togohome.侵占独眼巨人领地OccupytheterritoryofmonstrousCyclops奥德修斯把船员赶到了船上，逃离了忘忧果的引诱，却无意中踏上了一条更令人恐惧的岛屿，这是独眼食人巨人的领地。这座岛上有肥壮的羊群，看起来是个好地方，前提是不要惊扰巨人。在荷马生活的时代，古希腊正在不断对外扩张，古希腊人渴望探索新世界，奥德修斯的好奇将他带上歧途。被巨人关押后，奥德修斯告诉巨人自己叫“nobody”，趁着巨人醉酒刺瞎了它的眼睛，而巨人却只能无望的吼叫着“nobodyishurtingme”。这就是奥德修斯的聪明之处，合理的隐藏自己。Odysseusdrovethecrewaboard,escapedthetemptationofforgetfulness,andinadvertentlysetfootonamorefrighteningisland,theterritoryoftheone-eyedcannibalgiant.Theislandhadastrongflockofsheepandlookedlikeagoodplaceifyoudidn'tdisturbgiants.IntheeraofHomer'slife,ancientGreecewasexpandingcontinuously,andtheancientGreekswereeagertoexplorethenewworld.Odysseus'curiosityledhimastray.Afterbeingimprisonedbythegiant,Odysseustoldthegiantthathewas"nobody"andthatwhilethegiantwasdrunk,hestabbedhimintheeye,butthegiantcouldonlyshouthopelessly"nobodyishurtingme".That'swhatOdysseusissmartabout.Hehidhimselfreasonably.可惜的是，打败独眼巨人之后，奥德修斯还是暴露了自己的真实姓名，更可怕的是，独眼巨人是波塞冬的儿子，最为恐怖的是，波塞冬是海神，而奥德修斯在海上。这个故事是奥德修斯回家的一个重大转折，如果说之前的飓风只是意外，那么接下来所有的不幸都可以归功于海神的愤怒。即使在Aeolus，一位可以掌控风的国王的帮助，送给他一个锦囊下，他们离故乡越来越近。但由于部下的好奇，坦白的说，由于波塞冬的阻扰，诅咒生效了，他们被迫回到了theislandofAeolia，这一次，却没有人能再次帮助他。奥德修斯不像我们学到的天生拥有神力的神话英雄（mythologicalheroes），他只是凡人，也会被打倒，甚至比我们的遭遇更惨，但他总能凭借着回家的信念重新站起，继续向前。Unfortunately,afterdefeatingtheone-eyedgiant,Odysseusrevealedhisrealname.Whatwasmoreterribleisthattheone-eyedgiantisthesonofPoseidon.ThemostterriblethingwasthatPoseidonistheseagod,whileOdysseuswasatsea.ThisstorywasamajorturningpointforOdysseustoreturnhome.Iftheprevioushurricanewasanaccident,thenallthemisfortunesthatfollowcouldbeattributedtotheangeroftheGodofthesea.EvenwiththehelpofAeolus，akingwhocouldcontrolthewind,theyweregettingcloserandclosertotheirhomeland.Butbecauseofthecuriosityofthesubordinates,franklybecauseofPoseidon'sobstruction,thecursecameintoeffectandtheywereforcedtoreturntotheislandofAeolia.Thistime,noonecouldhelphimagain.Unlikethemythologicalheroeswe'velearned,Odysseuswasahumanbeingwhocanbeoverthrown,evenworsethanourexperience,buthecouldalwaysstandupandmoveonwiththefaithofgoinghome.三次诱惑Thethreetemptation士兵们发现了一个呗野兽包围的石宫，在这里奥德修斯得到了赫尔墨斯的药草“holymoly”，邂逅了美丽的女巫Circe。在温柔乡待了一年，奥德修斯得到Circe的建议，去冥界寻找预言家Tiresias，得到了警告，那就是不要吃太阳神Helios的牛。Soldiersfoundastonepalacesurroundedbybeasts,whereOdysseusgotHolyMolyfromHermes,andmetCirce,abeautifulwitch.Afterayearinthetenderland,OdysseuswasadvisedbyCircetogototheunderworldtofindtheprophetTiresiasandwaswarnednottoeatHelios'cattle.离开Circe，奥德修斯继续往故乡的方向行驶，但必须要经过塞壬的岛屿，塞壬拥有绝妙的歌喉，却能让人忘记初衷，忘记回家，忘记行船，跌海而死。我们的主角奥德修斯又想听塞壬的歌声，又不能让部下丧失心智，于是他让部下带上耳塞，还把自己捆在柱子上。实际上，这也许是僧海豹（monkseals）通过岩石扩音形成的，这个故事在很多壁画、小说、歌词里被引用，展现出了奥德修斯对于新事物新知识的追求。AfterleavingCirce,Odysseuscontinuedtodriveinthedirectionofhishometown,buthehadtopasstheislandofsirens.Sirenshadawonderfulsingingvoice,buttheycouldmakepeopleforgettheoriginalintention,forgettogohome,forgettosail,anddieinthesea.OurheroOdysseuswantedtohearthesongofthesirens,buthecould'tmakehismenlosetheirminds,sohetoldthemtowearearplugsandtiehimselftoapost.Infact,itmayhavebeenformedbymonksealsthroughrockamplification.Thisstoryhasbeenquotedinmanymurals,novelsandlyrics,showingOdysseus'pursuitofnewthingsandnewknowledge.在与斯库克的搏击中，士兵损伤大半；此后部下又不顾一切吃了太阳神的牛被宙斯杀死。奥德修斯现在是孤身一人，不知所措。幸运的是，他被冲到了另一位美丽魅惑女子的天堂岛屿，她是仙女卡吕普索。在这里，他度过了整整七年，才打算离开。仙女问他能否留下来，作为长生不老的人。但他拒绝了，他说，“聪明的配涅洛佩在身材和容貌上都比不过你，她不过是个凡人，你却长生不老。可我还是天天怀念，想要回家，想看到还乡那一天，哪怕天神在葡萄紫的大海上打击我，我也有忍受苦难的决心，可以坚持下去”。奥德修斯在两次艳遇中停留了八年，从故事完整性和上面的话看来，他被迫停留的说法比较合适。但是我们也可以发现，在男权社会，人们其实是有双重标准的，一方面要求女人贞洁忠诚，另一方面却认为男人拥有很多性关系是无伤大雅的。从古希腊人赋予众神之神宙斯的风流韵事的特点也可见一斑。InthefightwithScylla,thesoldiersweremostlyinjured;afterthat,themenwhoatethecattleofthesungoddesperatelywerekilledbyZeus.Odysseuswasnowaloneandataloss.Fortunately,hewasrushedtoanotherbeautifulandcharmingislandofparadise,thenymphCalypso.Hespentsevenyearsherebeforeheplannedtoleave.Thenymphaskedhimifhecouldstayasanimmortal.Butherefused,andhesaid,"ThewisePenelopecan'tmatchyouinfigureandappearance.She'sjustahumanbeing,butyou'reimmortal.ButIstillmisseveryday,wanttogohome,wanttoseethedayofreturninghome,evenifGodhitmeintheseaofgrapepurple,Ialsohavethedeterminationtoenduresuffering,Icanpersevere.Odysseusstayedforeightyearsinbothencounters.Fromtheintegrityofthestoryandthewordsabove,itseemsappropriatethathewasforcedtostay.Butwecanalsofindthatinthepatriarchalsociety,peopleactuallyhavedoublestandards.Ontheonehand,womenarerequiredtobechasteandloyal,ontheotherhand,theythinkthatitisharmlessandelegantformento