iliad10-第18章

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the　shield　of　the　son　of　Tydeus；　the　bronze　point　pierced　it　and
passed　on　till　it　reached　the　breastplate。　Thereon　the　son　of
Lycaon　shouted　out　and　said；　〃You　are　hit　clean　through　the
belly；　you　will　not　stand　out　for　long；　and　the　glory　of　the
fight　is　mine。〃

But　Diomed　all　undismayed　made　answer；　〃You　have　missed；　not　hit；
and　before　you　two　see　the　end　of　this　matter　one　or　other　of　you
shall　glut　tough…shielded　Mars　with　his　blood。〃

With　this　he　hurled　his　spear；　and　Minerva　guided　it　on　to
Pandarus's　nose　near　the　eye。　It　went　crashing　in　among　his　white
teeth；　the　bronze　point　cut　through　the　root　of　his　tongue；
ing　out　under　his　chin；　and　his　glistening　armour　rang
rattling　round　him　as　he　fell　heavily　to　the　ground。　The　horses
started　aside　for　fear；　and　he　was　reft　of　life　and　strength。

Aeneas　sprang　from　his　chariot　armed　with　shield　and　spear；
fearing　lest　the　Achaeans　should　carry　off　the　body。　He　bestrode
it　as　a　lion　in　the　pride　of　strength；　with　shield　and　spear
before　him　and　a　cry　of　battle　on　his　lips　resolute　to　kill　the
first　that　should　dare　face　him。　But　the　son　of　Tydeus　caught　up
a　mighty　stone；　so　huge　and　great　that　as　men　now　are　it　would
take　two　to　lift　it；　nevertheless　he　bore　it　aloft　with　ease
unaided；　and　with　this　he　struck　Aeneas　on　the　groin　where　the
hip　turns　in　the　joint　that　is　called　the　〃cup…bone。〃　The　stone
crushed　this　joint；　and　broke　both　the　sinews；　while　its　jagged
edges　tore　away　all　the　flesh。　The　hero　fell　on　his　knees；　and
propped　himself　with　his　hand　resting　on　the　ground　till　the
darkness　of　night　fell　upon　his　eyes。　And　now　Aeneas；　king　of
men；　would　have　perished　then　and　there；　had　not　his　mother；
Jove's　daughter　Venus；　who　had　conceived　him　by　Anchises　when　he
was　herding　cattle；　been　quick　to　mark；　and　thrown　her　two　white
arms　about　the　body　of　her　dear　son。　She　protected　him　by
covering　him　with　a　fold　of　her　own　fair　garment；　lest　some
Danaan　should　drive　a　spear　into　his　breast　and　kill　him。

Thus；　then；　did　she　bear　her　dear　son　out　of　the　fight。　But　the
son　of　Capaneus　was　not　unmindful　of　the　orders　that　Diomed　had
given　him。　He　made　his　own　horses　fast；　away　from　the
hurly…burly；　by　binding　the　reins　to　the　rim　of　the　chariot。　Then
he　sprang　upon　Aeneas's　horses　and　drove　them　from　the　Trojan　to
the　Achaean　ranks。　When　he　had　so　done　he　gave　them　over　to　his
chosen　rade　Deipylus；　whom　he　valued　above　all　others　as　the
one　who　was　most　like…minded　with　himself；　to　take　them　on　to　the
ships。　He　then　remounted　his　own　chariot；　seized　the　reins；　and
drove　with　all　speed　in　search　of　the　son　of　Tydeus。

Now　the　son　of　Tydeus　was　in　pursuit　of　the　Cyprian　goddess；
spear　in　hand；　for　he　knew　her　to　be　feeble　and　not　one　of　those
goddesses　that　can　lord　it　among　men　in　battle　like　Minerva　or
Enyo　the　waster　of　cities；　and　when　at　last　after　a　long　chase　he
caught　her　up；　he　flew　at　her　and　thrust　his　spear　into　the　flesh
of　her　delicate　hand。　The　point　tore　through　the　ambrosial　robe
which　the　Graces　had　woven　for　her；　and　pierced　the　skin　between
her　wrist　and　the　palm　of　her　hand；　so　that　the　immortal　blood；
or　ichor；　that　flows　in　the　veins　of　the　blessed　gods；　came
pouring　from　the　wound；　for　the　gods　do　not　eat　bread　nor　drink
wine；　hence　they　have　no　blood　such　as　ours；　and　are　immortal。
Venus　screamed　aloud；　and　let　her　son　fall；　but　Phoebus　Apollo
caught　him　in　his　arms；　and　hid　him　in　a　cloud　of　darkness；　lest
some　Danaan　should　drive　a　spear　into　his　breast　and　kill　him；
and　Diomed　shouted　out　as　he　left　her；　〃Daughter　of　Jove；　leave
war　and　battle　alone；　can　you　not　be　contented　with　beguiling
silly　women？　If　you　meddle　with　fighting　you　will　get　what　will
make　you　shudder　at　the　very　name　of　war。〃

The　goddess　went　dazed　and　disfited　away；　and　Iris；　fleet　as
the　wind；　drew　her　from　the　throng；　in　pain　and　with　her　fair
skin　all　besmirched。　She　found　fierce　Mars　waiting　on　the　left　of
the　battle；　with　his　spear　and　his　two　fleet　steeds　resting　on　a
cloud；　whereon　she　fell　on　her　knees　before　her　brother　and
implored　him　to　let　her　have　his　horses。　〃Dear　brother；〃　she
cried；　〃save　me；　and　give　me　your　horses　to　take　me　to　Olympus
where　the　gods　dwell。　I　am　badly　wounded　by　a　mortal；　the　son　of
Tydeus；　who　would　now　fight　even　with　father　Jove。〃

Thus　she　spoke；　and　Mars　gave　her　his　gold…bedizened　steeds。　She
mounted　the　chariot　sick　and　sorry　at　heart；　while　Iris　sat
beside　her　and　took　the　reins　in　her　hand。　She　lashed　her　horses
on　and　they　flew　forward　nothing　loth；　till　in　a　trice　they　were
at　high　Olympus；　where　the　gods　have　their　dwelling。　There　she
stayed　them；　unloosed　them　from　the　chariot；　and　gave　them　their
ambrosial　forage；　but　Venus　flung　herself　on　to　the　lap　of　her
mother　Dione；　who　threw　her　arms　about　her　and　caressed　her；
saying；　〃Which　of　the　heavenly　beings　has　been　treating　you　in
this　way；　as　though　you　had　been　doing　something　wrong　in　the
face　of　day？〃

And　laughter…loving　Venus　answered；　〃Proud　Diomed；　the　son　of
Tydeus；　wounded　me　because　I　was　bearing　my　dear　son　Aeneas；　whom
I　love　best　of　all　mankind；　out　of　the　fight。　The　war　is　no
longer　one　between　Trojans　and　Achaeans；　for　the　Danaans　have　now
taken　to　fighting　with　the　immortals。〃

〃Bear　it；　my　child；〃　replied　Dione；　〃and　make　the　best　of　it。　We
dwellers　in　Olympus　have　to　put　up　with　much　at　the　hands　of　men；
and　we　lay　much　suffering　on　one　another。　Mars　had　to　suffer　when
Otus　and　Ephialtes；　children　of　Aloeus；　bound　him　in　cruel　bonds；
so　that　he　lay　thirteen　months　imprisoned　in　a　vessel　of　bronze。
Mars　would　have　then　perished　had　not　fair　Eeriboea；　stepmother
to　the　sons　of　Aloeus；　told　Mercury；　who　stole　him　away　when　he
was　already　well…nigh　worn　out　by　the　severity　of　his　bondage。
Juno；　again；　suffered　when　the　mighty　son　of　Amphitryon　wounded
her　on　the　right　breast　with　a　three…barbed　arrow；　and　nothing
could　assuage　her　pain。　So；　also；　did　huge　Hades；　when　this　same
man；　the　son　of　aegis…bearing　Jove；　hit　him　with　an　arrow　even　at
the　gates　of　hell；　and　hurt　him　badly。　Thereon　Hades　went　to　the
house　of　Jove　on　great　Olympus；　angry　and　full　of　pain；　and　the
arrow　in　his　brawny　shoulder　caused　him　great　anguish　till　Paeeon
healed　him　by　spreading　soothing　herbs　on　the　wound；　for　Hades
was　not　of　mortal　mould。　Daring；　head…strong；　evildoer　who　recked
not　of　his　sin　in　shooting　the　gods　that　dwell　in　Olympus。　And
now　Minerva　has　egged　this　son　of　Tydeus　on　against　yourself；
fool　that　he　is　for　not　reflecting　that　no　man　who　fights　with
gods　will　live　long　or　hear　his　children　prattling　about　his
knees　when　he　returns　from　battle。　Let；　then；　the　son　of　Tydeus
see　that　he　does　not　have　to　fight　with　one　who　is　stronger　than
you　are。　Then　shall　his　brave　wife　Aegialeia；　daughter　of
Adrestus；　rouse　her　whole　house　from　sleep；　wailing　for　the　loss
of　her　wedded　lord；　Diomed　the　bravest　of　the　Achaeans。〃

So　saying；　she　wiped　the　ichor　from　the　wrist　of　her　daughter
with　both　hands；　whereon　the　pain　left　her；　and　her　hand　was
healed。　But　Minerva　and　Juno；　who　were　looking　on；　began　to　taunt
Jove　with　their　mocking　talk；　and　Minerva　was　first　to　speak。
〃Father　Jove；〃　said　she；　〃do　not　be　angry　with　me；　but　I　think
the　Cyprian　must　have　been　persuading　some　one　of　the　Achaean
women　to　go　with　the　Trojans　of　whom　she　is　so　very　fond；　and
while　caressing　one　or　other　of　them　she　must　have　torn　her
delicate　hand　with　the　gold　pin　of　the　woman's　brooch。〃

The　sire　of　gods　and　men　smiled；　and　called　golden　Venus　to　his
side。　〃My　child；〃　said　he；　〃it　has　not　been　given　you　to　be　a
warrior。　Attend；　henceforth；　to　your　own　delightful　matrimonial
duties；　and　leave　all　this　fighting　to　Mars　and　to　Minerva。〃

Thus　did　they　converse。　But　Diomed　sprang　upon　Aeneas；　though　he
knew　him　to　be　in　the　very　arms　of　Apollo。　Not　one　whit　did　he
fear　the　mighty　god；　so　set　was　he　on　killing　Aeneas　and
stripping　him　of　his　armour。　Thrice　did　he　spring　forward　with
might　and　main　to　slay　him；　and　thrice　did　Apollo　beat　back　his
gleaming　shield。　When　he　was　ing　on　for　the　fourth　time；　as
though　he　were　a　god；　Apollo　shouted　to　him　with　an　awful　voice
and