第27部分(第4/7 頁)

nd；　with　a　glance　at　the　traction…　engine　just　ing　along　the　road；　indicate　the　direction　of　his　thoughts。

XV

Nothing　in　all　Homer　pleases　me　more　than　the　bedstead　of　Odysseus。　I　have　tried　to　turn　the　passage　describing　it　into　English　verse；　thus：…

Here　in　my　garth　a　goodly　olive　grew；　Thick　was　the　noble　leafage　of　its　prime；　And　like　a　carven　column　rose　the　trunk。　This　tree　about　I　built　my　chamber　walls；　Laying　great　stone　on　stone；　and　roofed　them　well；　And　in　the　portal　set　a　ely　door；　Stout…hinged　and　tightly　closing。　Then　with　axe　I　lopped　the　leafy　olive's　branching　head；　And　hewed　the　bole　to　four…square　shapeliness；　And　smoothed　it；　craftsmanlike；　and　grooved　and　pierced；　Making　the　rooted　timber；　where　it　grew；　A　corner　of　my　couch。　Labouring　on；　I　fashioned　all　the　bed…frame；　which　plete；　The　wood　I　overlaid　with　shining　gear　Of　gold；　of　silver；　and　of　ivory。　And　last；　between　the　endlong　beams　I　stretched　Stout　thongs　of　ox…hide；　dipped　in　purple　dye。

Odyssey；　xxiii。　190…201。

Did　anyone　ever　imitate　the　admirable　precedent？　Were　I　a　young　man；　and　an　owner　of　land；　assuredly　I　would　do　so。　Choose　some　goodly　tree；　straight…soaring；　cut　away　head　and　branches；　leave　just　the　clean　trunk　and　build　your　house　about　it　in　such　manner　that　the　top　of　the　rooted　timber　rises　a　couple　of　feet　above　your　bedroom　floor。　The　trunk　need　not　be　manifest　in　the　lower　part　of　the　house；　but　I　should　prefer　to　have　it　so；　I　am　a　tree…　worshipper；　it　should　be　as　the　visible　presence　of　a　household　god。　And　how　could　one　more　nobly　symbolize　the　sacredness　of　Home？　There　can　be　no　home　without　the　sense　of　permanence；　and　without　home　there　is　no　civilization……as　England　will　discover　when　the　greater　part　of　her　population　have　bee　f