letters to dead authors-第4部分

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r　sails；　and　there　it　is　said　that　men　know　many　things　from　of　old：　thither；　then；　I　came　in　my　inquiry。　　Now；　the　island　is　not　small；　but　large；　greater　than　the　whole　of　Hellas；　and　they　call　it　Britain。　　In　that　island　the　east　wind　blows　for　ten　parts　of　the　year；　and　the　people　know　not　how　to　cover　themselves　from　the　cold。　But　for　the　other　two　months　of　the　year　the　sun　shines　fiercely；　so　that　some　of　them　die　thereof；　and　others　die　of　the　frozen　mixed　drinks；　for　they　have　ice　even　in　the　summer；　and　this　ice　they　put　to　their　liquor。　　Through　the　whole　of　this　island；　from　the　west　even　to　the　east；　there　flows　a　river　called　Thames：　　a　great　river　and　a　laborious；　but　not　to　be　likened　to　the　River　of　Egypt。

The　mouth　of　this　river；　where　I　stepped　out　from　my　ship；　is　exceedingly　foul　and　of　an　evil　savour　by　reason　of　the　city　on　the　banks。　　Now　this　city　is　several　hundred　parasangs　in　circumference。　Yet　a　man　that　needed　not　to　breathe　the　air　might　go　round　it　in　one　hour；　in　chariots　that　run　under　the　earth；　and　these　chariots　are　drawn　by　creatures　that　breathe　smoke　and　sulphur；　such　as　Orpheus　mentions　in　his　〃Argonautica；〃　if　it　be　by　Orpheus。　　The　people　of　the　town；　when　I　inquired　of　them　concerning　Herodotus　of　Halicarnassus；　looked　on　me　with　amazement；　and　went　straightway　about　their　businessnamely；　to　seek　out　whatsoever　new　thing　is　coming　to　pass　all　over　the　whole　inhabited　world；　and　as　for　things　old；　they　take　no　keep　of　them。

Nevertheless；　by　diligence　I　learned　that　he　who　in　this　land　knew　most　concerning　Herodotus　was　a　priest；　and　dwelt　in　the　priests'　city　on　the　river　which　is　called　the　City　of　the　Ford　of　the　Ox。　But　whether　Io；　when　she　wore　a　cow's　shape；　had　passed　by　that　way　in　her　wanderings；　and　thence　comes　the　name　of　that　city；　I　could　not　（though　I　asked　all　men　I　met）　learn　aught　with　certainty。　　But　to　me；　considering　this；　it　seemed　that　Io　must　have　come　thither。　And　now　farewell　to　Io。

To　the　City　of　the　Priests　there　are　two　roads：　　one　by　land；　and　one　by　water；　following　the　river。　　To　a　well…girdled　man；　the　land　journey　is　but　one　day's　travel；　by　the　river　it　is　longer　but　more　pleasant。　　Now　that　river　flows；　as　I　said；　from　the　west　to　the　east。　　And　there　is　in　it　a　fish　called　chub；　which　they　catch；　but　they　do　not　eat　it；　for　a　certain　sacred　reason。　　Also　there　is　a　fish　called　trout；　and　this　is　the　manner　of　his　catching。　　They　build　for　this　purpose　great　dams　of　wood；　which　they　call　weirs。　Having　built　the　weir　they　sit　upon　it　with　rods　in　their　hands；　and　a　line　on　the　rod；　and　at　the　end　of　the　line　a　little　fish。　　There　then　they　〃sit　and　spin　in　the　sun；〃　as　one　of　their　poets　says；　not　for　a　short　time　but　for　many　days；　having　rods　in　their　hands　and　eating　and　drinking。　　In　this　wise　they　angle　for　the　fish　called　trout；　but　whether　they　ever　catch　him　or　not；　not　having　seen　it；　I　cannot　say；　for　it　is　not　pleasant　to　me　to　speak　things　concerning　which　I　know　not　the　truth。

Now；　after　sailing　and　rowing　against　the　stream　for　certain　days；　I　came　to　the　City　of　the　Ford　of　the　Ox。　　Here　the　river　changes　his　name；　and　is　called　Isis；　after　the　name　of　the　goddess　of　the　Egyptians。　　But　whether　the　Britons　brought　the　name　from　Egypt　or　whether　the　Egyptians　took　it　from　the　Britons；　not　knowing　I　prefer　not　to　say。　　But　to　me　it　seems　that　the　Britons　are　a　colony　of　the　Egyptians；　or　the　Egyptians　a　colony　of　the　Britons。　　Moreover；　when　I　was　in　Egypt　I　saw　certain　soldiers　in　white　helmets；　who　were　certainly　British。　　But　what　they　did　there　（as　Egypt　neither　belongs　to　Britain　nor　Britain　to　Egypt）　I　know　not；　neither　could　they　tell　me。　　But　one　of　them　replied　to　me　in　that　line　of　Homer　（if　the　Odyssey　be　Homer's）；　〃We　have　come　to　a　sorry　Cyprus；　and　a　sad　Egypt。〃　　Others　told　me　that　they　once　marched　against　the　Ethiopians；　and　having　defeated　them　several　times；　then　came　back　again；　leaving　their　property　to　the　Ethiopians。　　But　as　to　the　truth　of　this　I　leave　it　to　every　man　to　form　his　own　opinion。

Having　come　into　the　City　of　the　Priests；　I　went　forth　into　the　street；　and　found　a　priest　of　the　baser　sort；　who　for　a　piece　of　silver　led　me　hither　and　thither　among　the　temples；　discoursing　of　many　things。

Now　it　seemed　to　me　a　strange　thing　that　the　city　was　empty；　and　no　man　dwelling　therein；　save　a　few　priests　only；　and　their　wives；　and　their　children；　who　are　drawn　to　and　fro　in　little　carriages　dragged　by　women。　　But　the　priest　told　me　that　during　half　the　year　the　city　was　desolate；　for　that　there　came　somewhat　called　〃The　Long；〃　or　〃The　Vac；〃　and　drave　out　the　young　priests。　　And　he　said　that　these　did　no　other　thing　but　row　boats；　and　throw　balls　from　one　to　the　other；　and　this　they　were　made　to　do；　he　said；　that　the　young　priests　might　learn　to　be　humble；　for　they　are　the　proudest　of　men。　But　whether　he　spoke　truth　or　not　I　know　not；　only　I　set　down　what　he　told　me。　　But　to　anyone　considering　it；　this　appears　rather　to　jump　with　his　storynamely；　that　the　young　priests　have　houses　on　the　river；　painted　of　divers　colours；　all　of　them　empty。

Then　the　priest；　at　my　desire；　brought　me　to　one　of　the　temples；　that　I　might　seek　out　all　things　concerning　Herodotus　the　Halicarnassian；　from　one　who　knew。　　Now　this　temple　is　not　the　fairest　in　the　city；　but　less　fair　and　goodly　than　the　old　temples；　yet　goodlier　and　more　fair　than　the　new　temples；　and　over　the　roof　there　is　the　image　of　an　eagle　made　of　stoneno　small　marvel；　but　a　great　one；　how　men　came　to　fashion　him；　and　that　temple　is　called　the　House　of　Queens。　　Here　they　sacrifice　a　boar　once　every　year；　and　concerning　this　they　tell　a　certain　sacred　story　which　I　know　but　will　not　utter。

Then　I　was　brought　to　the　priest　who　had　a　name　for　knowing　most　about　Egypt；　and　the　Egyptians；　and　the　Assyrians；　and　the　Cappadocians；　and　all　the　kingdoms　of　the　Great　King。　　He　came　out　to　me；　being　attired　in　a　black　robe；　and　wearing　on　his　head　a　square　cap。　　But　why　the　priests　have　square　caps　I　know；　and　he　who　has　been　initiated　into　the　mysteries　which　they　call　〃Matric〃　knows；　but　I　prefer　not　to　tell。　　Concerning　the　square　cap；　then；　let　this　be　sufficient。　　Now；　the　priest　received　me　courteously；　and　when　I　asked　him；　concerning　Herodotus；　whether　he　were　a　true　man　or　not；　he　smiled　and　answered　〃Abu　Goosh；〃　which；　in　the　tongue　of　the　Arabians；　means　〃The　Father　of　Liars。〃　　Then　he　went　on　to　speak　concerning　Herodotus；　and　he　said　in　his　discourse　that　Herodotus　not　only　told　the　thing　which　was　not；　but　that　he　did　so　wilfully；　as　one　knowing　the　truth　but　concealing　it。　　For　example；　quoth　he；　〃Solon　never　went　to　see　Croesus；　as　Herodotus　avers；　nor　did　those　about　Xerxes　ever　dream　dreams；　but　Herodotus；　out　of　his　abundant　wickedness；　invented　these　things。〃

〃Now　behold；〃　he　went　on；　〃how　the　curse　of　the　Gods　falls　upon　Herodotus。　　For　he　pretends　that　he　saw　Cadmeian　inscriptions　at　Thebes。　　Now　I　do　not　believe　there　were　any　Cadmeian　inscriptions　there：　　therefore　Herodotus　is　most　manifestly　lying。　　Moreover；　this　Herodotus　never　speaks　of　Sophocles　the　Athenian；　and　why　not？　Because　he；　being　a　child　at　school；　did　not　learn　Sophocles　by　heart：　　for　the　tragedies　of　Sophocles　could　not　have　been　learned　at　school　before　they　were　written；　nor　can　any　man　quote　a　poet　whom　he　never　learned　at　school。　　Moreover；　as　all　those　about　Herodotus　knew　Sophocles　well；　he　could　not　appear　to　them　to　be　learned　by　showing　that　he　knew　what　they　knew　also。〃　　Then　I　thought　the　priest　was　making　game　and　sport；　saying　first　that　Herodotus　could　know　no　poet　whom　he　had　not　learned　at　school；　and　then　saying　that　all　the　men　of　his　time　well　knew　this　poet；　〃about　whom　everyone　was　talking。〃　　But　the　priest　seemed　not　to　know　that　Herodotus　and　Sophocles　were　friends；　which　is　proved　by　this；　that　Sophocles　wrote　an　ode　in　praise　of　Herodotus。

Then　he　went　on；　and　though　I　were　to　write　with　a　hundred　hands　（like　Briareus；　of　whom　Homer　makes　mention）　I　could　not　tell　you　all　the　things　that　the　priest　said　against　Herodotus；　speaking　truly；　or　not　truly；　or　sometimes　correctly　and　sometimes　not；　as　often　befalls　mortal　men。　　For　Herodotus；　he　said；　was　chiefly　concerned　to　steal　the　lore　of　those　who　came　before　him；　such　as　Hecataeus；　and　then　to　escape　notice　as　having　stolen　it。　　Also　he　said　that；　being　himself　cunning　and　deceitful；　Herodotus　was　easily　beguiled　by　the　cunning　of　others；　and　believed　in　things　manifestly　false；　such　as　the　story　of　the　Phoenix…bird。

Then　I　spoke；　and　said　that　Herodotus　himself　declared　that　he　could　not　believe　that　story；　but　the　priest　regarded　me　not。　　And　he　said　that　Herodotus　had　never　caught　a　crocodile　with　cold　pig；　nor　did　he　ever　visit　Assyria；　nor　Babylon；　nor　Elephantine；　but；　saying　that　he　had　been　in　these　lands；　said　that　which　was　not　true。　　He　also　declared　that　Herodotus；　when　he　travelled；　knew　none　of　the　Fat　Ones　of　the　Egyptians；　but　only　those　of　the　baser　sort。　　And　he　called　Herodotus　a　thief　and　a　beguiler；　and　〃the　same　with　intent　to　deceive；〃　as　one　of　their　own　poets　writes。　　And；　to　be　short；　Herodotus；　I　could　not　tell　you　in　one　day　all　the　charges　which　are　now　brought　against　you；　but　concerning　the　truth　of　these　things；　YOU　know；　not　least；　but　most；　as　to　yourself　being　guilty　or　innocent。　　Wherefore；　if　you　have　anything　to　show　or　set　forth　whereby　you　may　be　relieved　from　the　burden　of　these　accusations；　now　is　the　time。　　Be　no　longer　silent；　but；　whether　through　the　Oracle　of　the　Dead；　or　the　Oracle　of　Branchidae；　or　that　in　Delphi；　or　Dodona；　or　of　Amphiaraus　at　Oropus；　speak　to　your　friends　and　lovers　（whereof　I　am　one　from　of　old）　and　let　men　know　the　very　truth。

Now；　concerning　the　priests　in　the　City　of　the　Ford　of　the　Ox；　it　is　to　be　said　that　of　all　men　whom　we　know　they　receive　strangers　most　gladly；　feasting　them　all　day。　　Moreover；　they　have　many　drinks；　cunningly　mixed；　and　of　these　the　best　is　that　they　call　Archdeacon；　naming　it　from　one　of　the　priests'　offices。　　Truly；　as　Homer　says　（if　the　Odyssey　be　Homer's）；　〃when　that　draught　is　poured　into　the　bowl　then　it　is　no　pleasure　to　refrain。〃

Drinking　of　this　wine；　or　nectar；　Herodotus；　I　pledge　you；　an