iliad10-第23章

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monster；　the　Chimaera；　who　was　not　a　human　being；　but　a　goddess；
for　she　had　the　head　of　a　lion　and　the　tail　of　a　serpent；　while
her　body　was　that　of　a　goat；　and　she　breathed　forth　flames　of
fire；　but　Bellerophon　slew　her；　for　he　was　guided　by　signs　from
heaven。　He　next　fought　the　far…famed　Solymi；　and　this；　he　said；
was　the　hardest　of　all　his　battles。　Thirdly；　he　killed　the
Amazons；　women　who　were　the　peers　of　men；　and　as　he　was　returning
thence　the　king　devised　yet　another　plan　for　his　destruction；　he
picked　the　bravest　warriors　in　all　Lycia；　and　placed　them　in
ambuscade；　but　not　a　man　ever　came　back；　for　Bellerophon　killed
every　one　of　them。　Then　the　king　knew　that　he　must　be　the　valiant
offspring　of　a　god；　so　he　kept　him　in　Lycia；　gave　him　his
daughter　in　marriage；　and　made　him　of　equal　honour　in　the　kingdom
with　himself；　and　the　Lycians　gave　him　a　piece　of　land；　the　best
in　all　the　country；　fair　with　vineyards　and　tilled　fields；　to
have　and　to　hold。

〃The　king's　daughter　bore　Bellerophon　three　children；　Isander；
Hippolochus；　and　Laodameia。　Jove；　the　lord　of　counsel；　lay　with
Laodameia；　and　she　bore　him　noble　Sarpedon；　but　when　Bellerophon
came　to　be　hated　by　all　the　gods；　he　wandered　all　desolate　and
dismayed　upon　the　Alean　plain；　gnawing　at　his　own　heart；　and
shunning　the　path　of　man。　Mars；　insatiate　of　battle；　killed　his
son　Isander　while　he　was　fighting　the　Solymi；　his　daughter　was
killed　by　Diana　of　the　golden　reins；　for　she　was　angered　with
her；　but　Hippolochus　was　father　to　myself；　and　when　he　sent　me　to
Troy　he　urged　me　again　and　again　to　fight　ever　among　the　foremost
and　outvie　my　peers；　so　as　not　to　shame　the　blood　of　my　fathers
who　were　the　noblest　in　Ephyra　and　in　all　Lycia。　This；　then；　is
the　descent　I　claim。〃

Thus　did　he　speak；　and　the　heart　of　Diomed　was　glad。　He　planted
his　spear　in　the　ground；　and　spoke　to　him　with　friendly　words。
〃Then；〃　he　said；　〃you　are　an　old　friend　of　my　father's　house。
Great　Oeneus　once　entertained　Bellerophon　for　twenty　days；　and
the　two　exchanged　presents。　Oeneus　gave　a　belt　rich　with　purple；
and　Bellerophon　a　double　cup；　which　I　left　at　home　when　I　set　out
for　Troy。　I　do　not　remember　Tydeus；　for　he　was　taken　from　us
while　I　was　yet　a　child；　when　the　army　of　the　Achaeans　was　cut　to
pieces　before　Thebes。　Henceforth；　however；　I　must　be　your　host　in
middle　Argos；　and　you　mine　in　Lycia；　if　I　should　ever　go　there；
let　us　avoid　one　another's　spears　even　during　a　general
engagement；　there　are　many　noble　Trojans　and　allies　whom　I　can
kill；　if　I　overtake　them　and　heaven　delivers　them　into　my　hand；
so　again　with　yourself；　there　are　many　Achaeans　whose　lives　you
may　take　if　you　can；　we　two；　then；　will　exchange　armour；　that　all
present　may　know　of　the　old　ties　that　subsist　between　us。〃

With　these　words　they　sprang　from　their　chariots；　grasped　one
another's　hands；　and　plighted　friendship。　But　the　son　of　Saturn
made　Glaucus　take　leave　of　his　wits；　for　he　exchanged　golden
armour　for　bronze；　the　worth　of　a　hundred　head　of　cattle　for　the
worth　of　nine。

Now　when　Hector　reached　the　Scaean　gates　and　the　oak　tree；　the
wives　and　daughters　of　the　Trojans　came　running　towards　him　to
ask　after　their　sons；　brothers；　kinsmen；　and　husbands：　he　told
them　to　set　about　praying　to　the　gods；　and　many　were　made
sorrowful　as　they　heard　him。

Presently　he　reached　the　splendid　palace　of　King　Priam；　adorned
with　colonnades　of　hewn　stone。　In　it　there　were　fifty
bedchambersall　of　hewn　stonebuilt　near　one　another；　where　the
sons　of　Priam　slept；　each　with　his　wedded　wife。　Opposite　these；
on　the　other　side　the　courtyard；　there　were　twelve　upper　rooms
also　of　hewn　stone　for　Priam's　daughters；　built　near　one　another；
where　his　sons…in…law　slept　with　their　wives。　When　Hector　got
there；　his　fond　mother　came　up　to　him　with　Laodice　the　fairest　of
her　daughters。　She　took　his　hand　within　her　own　and　said；　〃My
son；　why　have　you　left　the　battle　to　e　hither？　Are　the
Achaeans；　woe　betide　them；　pressing　you　hard　about　the　city　that
you　have　thought　fit　to　e　and　uplift　your　hands　to　Jove　from
the　citadel？　Wait　till　I　can　bring　you　wine　that　you　may　make
offering　to　Jove　and　to　the　other　immortals；　and　may　then　drink
and　be　refreshed。　Wine　gives　a　man　fresh　strength　when　he　is
wearied；　as　you　now　are　with　fighting　on　behalf　of　your　kinsmen。〃

And　Hector　answered；　〃Honoured　mother；　bring　no　wine；　lest　you
unman　me　and　I　forget　my　strength。　I　dare　not　make　a
drink…offering　to　Jove　with　unwashed　hands；　one　who　is
bespattered　with　blood　and　filth　may　not　pray　to　the　son　of
Saturn。　Get　the　matrons　together；　and　go　with　offerings　to　the
temple　of　Minerva　driver　of　the　spoil；　there；　upon　the　knees　of
Minerva；　lay　the　largest　and　fairest　robe　you　have　in　your
housethe　one　you　set　most　store　by；　promise；　moreover；　to
sacrifice　twelve　yearling　heifers　that　have　never　yet　felt　the
goad；　in　the　temple　of　the　goddess　if　she　will　take　pity　on　the
town；　with　the　wives　and　little　ones　of　the　Trojans；　and　keep　the
son　of　Tydeus　from　off　the　goodly　city　of　Ilius；　for　he　fights
with　fury；　and　fills　men's　souls　with　panic。　Go；　then；　to　the
temple　of　Minerva；　while　I　seek　Paris　and　exhort　him；　if　he　will
hear　my　words。　Would　that　the　earth　might　open　her　jaws　and
swallow　him；　for　Jove　bred　him　to　be　the　bane　of　the　Trojans；　and
of　Priam　and　Priam's　sons。　Could　I　but　see　him　go　down　into　the
house　of　Hades；　my　heart　would　forget　its　heaviness。〃

His　mother　went　into　the　house　and　called　her　waiting…women　who
gathered　the　matrons　throughout　the　city。　She　then　went　down　into
her　fragrant　store…room；　where　her　embroidered　robes　were　kept；
the　work　of　Sidonian　women；　whom　Alexandrus　had　brought　over　from
Sidon　when　he　sailed　the　seas　upon　that　voyage　during　which　he
carried　off　Helen。　Hecuba　took　out　the　largest　robe；　and　the　one
that　was　most　beautifully　enriched　with　embroidery；　as　an
offering　to　Minerva：　it　glittered　like　a　star；　and　lay　at　the
very　bottom　of　the　chest。　With　this　she　went　on　her　way　and　many
matrons　with　her。

When　they　reached　the　temple　of　Minerva；　lovely　Theano；　daughter
of　Cisseus　and　wife　of　Antenor；　opened　the　doors；　for　the　Trojans
had　made　her　priestess　of　Minerva。　The　women　lifted　up　their
hands　to　the　goddess　with　a　loud　cry；　and　Theano　took　the　robe　to
lay　it　upon　the　knees　of　Minerva；　praying　the　while　to　the
daughter　of　great　Jove。　〃Holy　Minerva；〃　she　cried；　〃protectress
of　our　city；　mighty　goddess；　break　the　spear　of　Diomed　and　lay
him　low　before　the　Scaean　gates。　Do　this；　and　we　will　sacrifice
twelve　heifers　that　have　never　yet　known　the　goad；　in　your
temple；　if　you　will　have　pity　upon　the　town；　with　the　wives　and
little　ones　of　the　Trojans。〃　Thus　she　prayed；　but　Pallas　Minerva
granted　not　her　prayer。

While　they　were　thus　praying　to　the　daughter　of　great　Jove；
Hector　went　to　the　fair　house　of　Alexandrus；　which　he　had　built
for　him　by　the　foremost　builders　in　the　land。　They　had　built　him
his　house；　storehouse；　and　courtyard　near　those　of　Priam　and
Hector　on　the　acropolis。　Here　Hector　entered；　with　a　spear　eleven
cubits　long　in　his　hand；　the　bronze　point　gleamed　in　front　of
him；　and　was　fastened　to　the　shaft　of　the　spear　by　a　ring　of
gold。　He　found　Alexandrus　within　the　house；　busied　about　his
armour；　his　shield　and　cuirass；　and　handling　his　curved　bow；
there；　too；　sat　Argive　Helen　with　her　women；　setting　them　their
several　tasks；　and　as　Hector　saw　him　he　rebuked　him　with　words　of
scorn。　〃Sir；〃　said　he；　〃you　do　ill　to　nurse　this　rancour；　the
people　perish　fighting　round　this　our　town；　you　would　yourself
chide　one　whom　you　saw　shirking　his　part　in　the　bat。　Up　then；
or　ere　long　the　city　will　be　in　a　blaze。〃

And　Alexandrus　answered；　〃Hector；　your　rebuke　is　just；　listen
therefore；　and　believe　me　when　I　tell　you　that　I　am　not　here　so
much　through　rancour　or　ill…will　towards　the　Trojans；　as　from　a
desire　to　indulge　my　grief。　My　wife　was　even　now　gently　urging　me
to　battle；　and　I　hold　it　better　that　I　should　go；　for　victory　is
ever　fickle。　Wait；　then；　while　I　put　on　my　armour；　or　go　first
and　I　will　follow。　I　shall　be　sure　to　overtake　you。〃

Hector　made　no　answer；　but　Helen　tried　to　soothe　him。　〃Brot