The Odyssey: Rendered into English prose for the use of those who cannot read the original — Page 2

此时海神涅普顿已前往世界尽头的埃塞俄比亚人那里，

Now Neptune had gone off to the Ethiopians, who are at the world's end,

那里的人们分居两处，一部分朝西，另一部分朝东。

and lie in two halves, the one looking West and the other East.

他去那里是为了接受一份献祭的羊和牛，

He had gone there to accept a hecatomb of sheep and oxen,

正在那里享受节日的欢乐；

and was enjoying himself at his festival;

与此同时，众神齐聚奥林匹斯山宙斯的神殿，

but the other gods met in the house of Olympian Jove,

众神与人类之父宙斯率先开口说话。

and the sire of gods and men spoke first.

此刻他心中正想着埃癸斯托斯——那个被阿伽门农之子俄瑞斯特斯杀死的人；

At that moment he was thinking of Aegisthus, who had been killed by Agamemnon's son Orestes;

于是他对众神说道：

so he said to the other gods:

「你们看，人类竟然将责任归咎于我们神明，

"See now, how men lay blame upon us gods for what is after all nothing

而那归根结底不过是他们自己的愚蠢罢了。

but their own folly.

看看埃癸斯托斯吧；他偏要非礼阿伽门农之妻，

Look at Aegisthus; he must needs make love to Agamemnon's wife unrighteously

然后又杀死阿伽门农，尽管他明知此举将招致自己的死亡；

and then kill Agamemnon, though he knew it would be the death of him;

因为我曾派遣赫耳墨斯警告他，不可做这两件事中的任何一件，

for I sent Mercury to warn him not to do either of these things,

因为俄瑞斯特斯长大成人、返回故乡之时，必定会向他复仇。

inasmuch as Orestes would be sure to take his revenge when he grew up and wanted to return home.

赫耳墨斯一片好意将此告知于他，他却充耳不闻，

Mercury told him this in all good will but he would not listen,

如今他已为自己所做的一切付出了全部代价。

and now he has paid for everything in full.