第27部分(第5/7 頁)

lat…inhabiting　nomads。　In　some　ideal　monwealth；　one　can　imagine　the　Odyssean　bed　a　normal　institution；　every　head　of　a　household；　cottager　or　lord　（for　the　monwealth　must　have　its　lords；　go　to！）；　lying　down　to　rest；　as　did　his　fathers；　in　the　Chamber　of　the　Tree。　This；　one　fancies；　were　a　somewhat　more　fitting　nuptial　chamber　than　the　chance　bedroom　of　a　hotel。　Odysseus　building　his　home　is　man　performing　a　supreme　act　of　piety；　through　all　the　ages　that　picture　must　retain　its　profound　significance。　Note　the　tree　he　chose；　the　olive；　sacred　to　Athena；　emblem　of　peace。　When　he　and　the　wise　goddess　meet　together　to　scheme　destruction　of　the　princes；　they　sit　＇Greek　text＇。　Their　talk　is　of　bloodshed；　true；　but　in　punishment　of　those　who　have　outraged　the　sanctity　of　the　hearth；　and　to　re…establish；　after　purification；　domestic　calm　and　security。　It　is　one　of　the　dreary　aspects　of　modern　life　that　natural　symbolism　has　all　but　perished。　We　have　no　consecrated　tree。　The　oak　once　held　a　place　in　English　hearts；　but　who　now　reveres　it？……our　trust　is　in　gods　of　iron。　Money　is　made　at　Christmas　out　of　holly　and　mistletoe；　but　who　save　the　vendors　would　greatly　care　if　no　green　branch　were　procurable？　One　symbol；　indeed；　has　obscured　all　others……the　minted　round　of　metal。　And　one　may　safely　say　that；　of　all　the　ages　since　a　coin　first　became　the　symbol　of　power；　ours　is　that　in　which　it　yields　to　the　majority　of　its　possessors　the　poorest　return　in　heart's　contentment。

XVI

I　have　been　dull　to…day；　haunted　by　the　thought　of　how　much　there　is　that　I　would　fain　know；　and　how　little　I　can　hope　to　learn。　The　scope　of　knowledge　has　bee　so　vast。　I　put　aside　nearly　all　physical　investigation；　to　me　it　is　naught；　or　only；　at　moments；　a　matter　of　idle　curiosity。　This　would　s