20170218—a mark of honor

http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0135%3Abook%3D4%3Acard%3D49            

ὣς φάτο, καί σφιν νῶτα βοὸς παρὰ πίονα θῆκεν

ὄπτ᾽ ἐν χερσὶν ἑλών, τά ῥά οἱ γέρα πάρθεσαν αὐτῷ.

οἱ δ᾽ ἐπ᾽ ὀνείαθ᾽ ἑτοῖμα προκείμενα χεῖρας ἴαλλον. (Od. 4.65-67)

So saying he took in his hands roast meat and set it before them, the same fat ox chine which they had set before himself as a mark of honor.

νῶτον: the chine of an animal served as food

πίων: fat

γέρας: gift of honour

Menelaus款待客人，邀請Telemachus他們一起坐下來吃大餐，自己吃烤牛肉，也夾給客人吃；一塊肥牛肉，上等的牛排，在宴會上是尊榮的象徵 (γέρας: gift of honour)，也表示主人對客人的重視。

圖片出處: http://www.greeklegendsandmyths.com/menelaus.html

Helen Recognising Telemachus, Son of Odysseus - Jean-Jacques Lagrenée (1739–1821)

20170217—spelt

http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0135%3Abook%3D4%3Acard%3D1              

οἱ δ᾽ ἵππους μὲν λῦσαν ὑπὸ ζυγοῦ ἱδρώοντας,

καὶ τοὺς μὲν κατέδησαν ἐφ᾽ ἱππείῃσι κάπῃσι,

πὰρ δ᾽ ἔβαλον ζειάς, ἀνὰ δὲ κρῖ λευκὸν ἔμιξαν, (Od. 4.39-41)

ζειά one-seeded wheat, Triticum monococcum

κρῖ barley

They loosed the sweating horses from beneath the yoke and tied them at the stalls of the horses, and flung before them spelt, and mixed with it white barley.

Menelaus款待客人，還請僕人照顧Telemachus它們的馬匹。在這兒，馬吃得比較好: 小麥 (ζειά one-seeded wheat, Triticum monococcum)加大麥 (κρῖ barley)，跟當時古希臘人吃一樣，只是馬吃的是生的穀粒，人吃的是熟食。

參考之前的筆記:

    英文翻譯spelt，又指斯佩耳特小麥（Triticum spelta）是小麥的一種多倍體。它在青銅時代到中世紀時的部分歐洲地區都是重要的農產品。如今在中歐仍有種植，作為一種健康食品重新在市場中出現。

    小麥的品種很多，以下參考維基百科:

小麥 (T. aestivum L.)

T. aethiopicum

T. araraticum

T. boeoticum

T. carthlicum

T. compactum

T. dicoccon

T. durum

T. ispahanicum

T. karamyschevii

T. militinae

一粒小麥T. monococcum

T. polonicum

斯佩耳特小麥T. spelta

T. timopheevii

T. trunciale

T. turanicum

T. turgidum

T. urartu

T. vavilovii

T. zhukovskyi

20170216—respite from pain

http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0135%3Abook%3D4%3Acard%3D1              

ἦ μὲν δὴ νῶι ξεινήια πολλὰ φαγόντε

ἄλλων ἀνθρώπων δεῦρ᾽ ἱκόμεθ᾽, αἴ κέ ποθι Ζεὺς

ἐξοπίσω περ παύσῃ ὀιζύος. ἀλλὰ λύ᾽ ἵππους

ξείνων, ἐς δ᾽ αὐτοὺς προτέρω ἄγε θοινηθῆναι. (Od. 4.33-36)

Surely we two many times ate the hospitable cheer of other men on our way her, hoping that Zeus would someday grant us respite from pain. No, unyoke the strangers’ horses, and bring the men in, that they may feast.

ξεινήιον a host’s gift

ὀιζύς woe, misery, distress, hardship, suffering

Menelaus 為兒子女兒辦婚宴，場面十分壯觀，此時，Telemachus和Pisistratus正好抵達。僕人還傻傻地問Menelaus要不要讓這兩位陌生人一起參加宴會。

Menelaus的回應很窩心，他說過去他們夫婦也是在地中海各地漂流多年，也是受到很多人的禮遇 (ξεινήιον a host’s gift, the hospitable cheer)， 所以可以寬解旅途中的疲憊與苦難。正因如此，今日遇到相同的出外人，他必盡地主之誼，招待他們。命令僕人幫忙解馬鞍，帶客人一起進來享受盛宴。

Menelaus and the beautiful Helen

1901 by Jan Styka

20170215-divnice minstrel

http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0135%3Abook%3D4%3Acard%3D1              

ὣς οἱ μὲν δαίνυντο καθ᾽ ὑψερεφὲς μέγα δῶμα

γείτονες ἠδὲ ἔται Μενελάου κυδαλίμοιο,

τερπόμενοι: μετὰ δέ σφιν ἐμέλπετο θεῖος ἀοιδὸς

φορμίζων, δοιὼ δὲ κυβιστητῆρε κατ᾽ αὐτούς,

μολπῆς ἐξάρχοντος, ἐδίνευον κατὰ μέσσους. (Od. 4.15-19)

So they were feasting in the great high-roofed hall, the neighbors and kinsfolk of glorious Menelaus, and divine minstrel was singing to the lyre, and tow tumblers whirled up and down through the midst of them, leading the dance.

開始讀第四卷，這一卷大綱： 第四卷的主要場景在斯巴達，當Telemachus和Pisistratus到達時，國王與皇后(Menelaus and Helen)正在為他們的兒子與女兒舉辦個別的婚禮，Menelaus and Helen歡迎客人的到臨，也一眼就認出和Odysseus長的很像的Telemachos，Menelaus回憶特洛伊戰爭與Odysseus，在場的人悲從中來，Helen 拿出解憂草放入酒中，大家一時忘憂，安靜入睡。隔天Menelaus譴責群無禮的追求者，也透露Odysseus應該還活著的訊息。本卷終結回到綺色佳的場景，追求者計畫陷阱，讓 Telemachus很難回家，而Penelope則焦慮不安… 

        開場的雙重婚禮大場面，也是古希臘的「世紀豪華大婚禮」，這幾行提到席間有游吟詩人 (θεῖος ἀοιδὸς, divine minstrel)與tumblers，神聖的吟唱詩人，被視作荷馬的化身。

下面圖文出處: http://www.ancient.eu/image/986/

A kylix depicting the god Apollo pouring a libation and holding an early version of the lyre (chelys) which was made from the shell of a tortoise. The bird may represent the crow which announced the marriage of the nymph Aigle-Korone, the daughter of King Phlegyas. Provenance: Delphi, 480-470 BCE, artist unknown. (Delphi Archaeological Museum).

里拉琴 http://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E9%87%8C%E6%8B%89%E7%90%B4

里拉（希臘語：λύρα）是西方古典文明最常見的撥弦樂器，傳至現代的種類非常繁多。它們的主要特點是共鳴箱特別狹窄，因而便於攜帶。樂器的弦數不一，但相當有限（在五根和八根之間），這使得該樂器更適合於伴唱之用。古希臘的游吟詩人經常使用這種樂器來烘托氣氛。它在中世紀文獻的諸多引用，起碼在10世紀後僅限於寓意。不過在北歐它仍被使用至至少14世紀

20170214—bath

http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0135%3Abook%3D3%3Acard%3D447             

αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ λοῦσέν τε καὶ ἔχρισεν λίπ᾽ ἐλαίῳ,

ἀμφὶ δέ μιν φᾶρος καλὸν βάλεν ἠδὲ χιτῶνα,

ἔκ ῥ᾽ ἀσαμίνθου βῆ δέμας ἀθανάτοισιν ὁμοῖος: (Od. 3.466-468)

And when she had bathed him and anointed him with oil, and had cast about him a fair cloak and a tunic, forth he came from the bath in form like immortals;

χρίω touch the surface of a body slightly, rub, anoint with scented unguents or oil

ἔλαιον olive-oil

φᾶρος a large piece of cloth, web, a wide cloak or mantle

χιτών garment worn next the skin, tunic

ἀσάμινθος bathing-tub

Nestor的待客之道還包含提供Telemachus沐浴和換新衣服。洗完澡之後，全身抹橄欖油，內外衣服都換新的一套，香噴噴、亮晶晶的Telemachus，看起來跟神一樣! 可見洗澡多麼愉悅，堪稱人生至福，神仙的生活也不過如此。

下面圖文出處: http://www.ancientworldalive.com/single-post/2015/10/27/Ancient-Greek-and-Roman-Bathing

The Greeks

The oldest archeological findings in Europe related to bathing habits date from the Bronze Age (2,400 – 800 BC). In the palaces of Knossos and Phaistos in Crete, the population of the Aegean Minoan civilization has left traces of special chambers devoted to bathing. Alabaster bathtubs excavated in Akrotiri (in Santorini Island), as well as wash basins and feet baths, showed how people from the Minoan civilization maintained their personal hygiene.

20170212—the eleventh year

http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0135%3Abook%3D3%3Acard%3D371              

τοῖς δ᾽ ὁ γέρων ἐλθοῦσιν ἀνὰ κρητῆρα κέρασσεν

οἴνου ἡδυπότοιο, τὸν ἑνδεκάτῳ ἐνιαυτῷ

ὤιξεν ταμίη καὶ ἀπὸ κρήδεμνον ἔλυσε: (Od. 3.390-392)

and on their coming the old man mixed for them a bowl of sweet wine, which now in the eleventh year the housekeeper opened, when she had broken the seal upon it.

κρατήρ mixing vessel

ἡδύποτος sweet to drink

ἑνδέκατος eleventh

ἐνιαυτός anniversary

欣賞Nestor如何展現古希臘文化的基本「待客之道」， 除了提供吃、住，這裡我們還看到一樁雅事，Nestor拿出了釀了十年的好酒與Telemachus分享。希臘文說的第十一年(νδεκάτῳ ἐνιαυτῷ)，也就表示已經過了十年，這不正是希臘人戰勝特洛伊的那年釀的酒！當時希臘大軍中，戰勝當年安全返鄉的只有Nestor，因為他年長，所以先返家，因此這酒意義非凡。還有，希臘人會用大碗 (κρατήρ, mixing vessel)來調酒，之後再分杯。這些陶製大碗會繪製許多希臘神話、歷史、文化的圖樣，是重要的非文字的史料。

http://www.slideshare.net/poppy1961/ss-38419373

0170209—the feast of the gods

2

http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0135%3Abook%3D3%3Acard%3D329                

ἤδη γὰρ φάος οἴχεθ᾽ ὑπὸ ζόφον, οὐδὲ ἔοικεν:

δηθὰ θεῶν ἐν δαιτὶ θαασσέμεν, ἀλλὰ νέεσθαι. (Od. 3.335-336)

Already the light has gone down beneath the darkness, and it is not right to sit long at the feast of the gods, but to go home.

老人家的故事總是特別長，Nestor述說特洛伊戰爭前後的故事，轉眼天色已黑，站一旁的Mentor (雅典娜假扮)已經受不了，要Nestor快點結束故事，眼下他們的還在祭拜海神。依照這段話，古希臘的祭神活動時間也不可過長，特別是日落之後，應該回家晚餐與休息。

20170208—a fruitless journey

http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0135%3Abook%3D3%3Acard%3D276                

καὶ σύ, φίλος, μὴ δηθὰ δόμων ἄπο τῆλ᾽ ἀλάλησο,

κτήματά τε προλιπὼν ἄνδρας τ᾽ ἐν σοῖσι δόμοισιν

οὕτω ὑπερφιάλους, μή τοι κατὰ πάντα φάγωσιν

κτήματα δασσάμενοι, σὺ δὲ τηϋσίην ὁδὸν ἔλθῃς. (Od. 3.313-316)

So do you not, my friend, wander long far from home, leaving your wealth behind you and men in your house so insolent, for fear they divide and devour all your wealth, and you shall have gone on a fruitless journey.

ἀλάλημαι wander, roam about

τηύσιος idle, vain, undertaken to no purpose

2月8日參觀故宮南院，匆忙安排嘉義之行，只是為了「日本美術之最－東京、九州國立博物館精品展」，到了南院已經11:00，中午在院內吃點東西，其餘時間都悠哉悠哉地觀賞文物，直到下午四點才離開。這次觀賞沒記下任何筆記，似乎是「沒有成果之行」(a fruitless journey)，其實不然。

        Telemachus這趟出門旅行，似乎打聽不到父親的消息，而家中那群不速之客可能繼續吃吃喝喝，也可能分掉他們家的產業，看似一趟沒有斬獲的旅程，但是Telemachus的視野打開了，也學會「國際禮儀」和一些管理家事、城邦事務的技巧，還有累積膽量，之後面對那群惡棍就不再怯場，這些收穫是無價的。

20170205—grievous transgression

http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0135%3Abook%3D3%3Acard%3D184

              

αἲ γὰρ ἐμοὶ τοσσήνδε θεοὶ δύναμιν περιθεῖεν,

τίσασθαι μνηστῆρας ὑπερβασίης ἀλεγεινῆς,

οἵ τέ μοι ὑβρίζοντες ἀτάσθαλα μηχανόωνται. (Od. 3.205-208)

O that the gods should clothe me with such strength, that I might take vengeance on the suitors for their grievous transgression, who in wantonness device mischief against me.

τοσόσδε sufficient

περιτίθημι place

τίνω pay a price

ἀλεγεινός causing pain, grievous

ὑβρίζω wax wanton, run riot

ἀτάσθαλος reckless, presumptuous, wicked

μηχανάομαι make by art, construct, build

《奧德賽》描述的這群求婚者，看似荒謬，但卻是在平淡的文字中道出人性的問題。這群人，是大多數的寫照，貪得無厭是心性，他們闖入奧德修斯的家，已經違規。

        此外，更基本的問題是，這群人的自以為是，總以為別人應該給他們東西、別人應該幫他們做事、別人應該照他們的指示...，心中太多「別人應該」，終究取代自我惕勵與反思的能力，所以，危險已悄悄地降臨，他們卻渾然不知。

圖: Heracles and Athena, black-figure side of a belly amphora by the Andokides Painter, c. 520/510 BC

20170203—inner parts

http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0135%3Abook%3D3%3Acard%3D1

              

δῶκε δ᾽ ἄρα σπλάγχνων μοίρας, ἐν δ᾽ οἶνον ἔχευεν

χρυσείῳ δέπαϊ: δειδισκόμενος δὲ προσηύδα

Παλλάδ᾽ Ἀθηναίην κούρην Διὸς αἰγιόχοιο:  (Od. 3.40-42)

Thereupon he gave them servings of the inner parts and poured in a golden cup, and pledging her, he spoke to Pallas Athena, daughter of Zeus who bears the aegis.

σπλάγχνον inward parts

μοῖρα part

古希臘人吃甚麼? 《奧德賽》許多聚餐或宴會的描述，這裡的描述是當Telemachus和雅典娜 (當時是假扮 Mentor的身分) 到達Nestor的家，來者是客，Nestor立即吩咐人端出最好的餐點給客人： 動物內臟和酒。

圖片: Sacrifice; principal source of meat for city dwellers — here a boar; tondo of an Attic kylix by the Epidromos Painter, c. 510–500 BC, Louvre.

Fresh fish, one of the favourite dishes of the Greeks, platter with red figures, c. 350–325 BC, Louvre

Eating Like an Ancient Greek:

http://greekfood.about.com/od/greekfoodhistory/fl/Eating-Like-An-Ancient-Greek.htm