iliad10-第26章

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fight；　but　by　entrapping　him　in　a　narrow　way　where　his　mace
served　him　in　no　stead；　for　Lycurgus　was　too　quick　for　him　and
speared　him　through　the　middle；　so　he　fell　to　earth　on　his　back。
Lycurgus　then　spoiled　him　of　the　armour　which　Mars　had　given　him；
and　bore　it　in　battle　thenceforward；　but　when　he　grew　old　and
stayed　at　home；　he　gave　it　to　his　faithful　squire　Ereuthalion；
who　in　this　same　armour　challenged　the　foremost　men　among　us。　The
others　quaked　and　quailed；　but　my　high　spirit　bade　me　fight　him
though　none　other　would　venture；　I　was　the　youngest　man　of　them
all；　but　when　I　fought　him　Minerva　vouchsafed　me　victory。　He　was
the　biggest　and　strongest　man　that　ever　I　killed；　and　covered
much　ground　as　he　lay　sprawling　upon　the　earth。　Would　that　I　were
still　young　and　strong　as　I　then　was；　for　the　son　of　Priam　would
then　soon　find　one　who　would　face　him。　But　you；　foremost　among
the　whole　host　though　you　be；　have　none　of　you　any　stomach　for
fighting　Hector。〃

Thus　did　the　old　man　rebuke　them；　and　forthwith　nine　men　started
to　their　feet。　Foremost　of　all　uprose　King　Agamemnon；　and　after
him　brave　Diomed　the　son　of　Tydeus。　Next　were　the　two　Ajaxes；　men
clothed　in　valour　as　with　a　garment；　and　then　Idomeneus；　and
Meriones　his　brother　in　arms。　After　these　Eurypylus　son　of
Euaemon；　Thoas　the　son　of　Andraemon；　and　Ulysses　also　rose。　Then
Nestor　knight　of　Gerene　again　spoke；　saying：　〃Cast　lots　among　you
to　see　who　shall　be　chosen。　If　he　e　alive　out　of　this　fight　he
will　have　done　good　service　alike　to　his　own　soul　and　to　the
Achaeans。〃

Thus　he　spoke；　and　when　each　of　them　had　marked　his　lot；　and　had
thrown　it　into　the　helmet　of　Agamemnon　son　of　Atreus；　the　people
lifted　their　hands　in　prayer；　and　thus　would　one　of　them　say　as
he　looked　into　the　vault　of　heaven；　〃Father　Jove；　grant　that　the
lot　fall　on　Ajax；　or　on　the　son　of　Tydeus；　or　upon　the　king　of
rich　Mycene　himself。〃

As　they　were　speaking；　Nestor　knight　of　Gerene　shook　the　helmet；
and　from　it　there　fell　the　very　lot　which　they　wantedthe　lot　of
Ajax。　The　herald　bore　it　about　and　showed　it　to　all　the
chieftains　of　the　Achaeans；　going　from　left　to　right；　but　they
none　of　them　owned　it。　When；　however；　in　due　course　he　reached
the　man　who　had　written　upon　it　and　had　put　it　into　the　helmet；
brave　Ajax　held　out　his　hand；　and　the　herald　gave　him　the　lot。
When　Ajax　saw　his　mark　he　knew　it　and　was　glad；　he　threw　it　to
the　ground　and　said；　〃My　friends；　the　lot　is　mine；　and　I　rejoice；
for　I　shall　vanquish　Hector。　I　will　put　on　my　armour；　meanwhile；
pray　to　King　Jove　in　silence　among　yourselves　that　the　Trojans
may　not　hear　youor　aloud　if　you　will；　for　we　fear　no　man。　None
shall　overe　me；　neither　by　force　nor　cunning；　for　I　was　born
and　bred　in　Salamis；　and　can　hold　my　own　in　all　things。〃

With　this　they　fell　praying　to　King　Jove　the　son　of　Saturn；　and
thus　would　one　of　them　say　as　he　looked　into　the　vault　of　heaven；
〃Father　Jove　that　rulest　from　Ida；　most　glorious　in　power；
vouchsafe　victory　to　Ajax；　and　let　him　win　great　glory：　but　if
you　wish　well　to　Hector　also　and　would　protect　him；　grant　to　each
of　them　equal　fame　and　prowess。〃

Thus　they　prayed；　and　Ajax　armed　himself　in　his　suit　of　gleaming
bronze。　When　he　was　in　full　array　he　sprang　forward　as　monstrous
Mars　when　he　takes　part　among　men　whom　Jove　has　set　fighting　with
one　anothereven　so　did　huge　Ajax；　bulwark　of　the　Achaeans；
spring　forward　with　a　grim　smile　on　his　face　as　he　brandished　his
long　spear　and　strode　onward。　The　Argives　were　elated　as　they
beheld　him；　but　the　Trojans　trembled　in　every　limb；　and　the　heart
even　of　Hector　beat　quickly；　but　he　could　not　now　retreat　and
withdraw　into　the　ranks　behind　him；　for　he　had　been　the
challenger。　Ajax　came　up　bearing　his　shield　in　front　of　him　like
a　walla　shield　of　bronze　with　seven　folds　of　oxhidethe　work
of　Tychius；　who　lived　in　Hyle　and　was　by　far　the　best　worker　in
leather。　He　had　made　it　with　the　hides　of　seven　full…fed　bulls；
and　over　these　he　had　set　an　eighth　layer　of　bronze。　Holding　this
shield　before　him；　Ajax　son　of　Telamon　came　close　up　to　Hector；
and　menaced　him　saying；　〃Hector；　you　shall　now　learn；　man　to　man；
what　kind　of　champions　the　Danaans　have　among　them　even　besides
lion…hearted　Achilles　cleaver　of　the　ranks　of　men。　He　now　abides
at　the　ships　in　anger　with　Agamemnon　shepherd　of　his　people；　but
there　are　many　of　us　who　are　well　able　to　face　you；　therefore
begin　the　fight。〃

And　Hector　answered；　〃Noble　Ajax；　son　of　Telamon；　captain　of　the
host；　treat　me　not　as　though　I　were　some　puny　boy　or　woman　that
cannot　fight。　I　have　been　long　used　to　the　blood　and　butcheries
of　battle。　I　am　quick　to　turn　my　leathern　shield　either　to　right
or　left；　for　this　I　deem　the　main　thing　in　battle。　I　can　charge
among　the　chariots　and　horsemen；　and　in　hand　to　hand　fighting　can
delight　the　heart　of　Mars；　howbeit　I　would　not　take　such　a　man　as
you　are　off　his　guardbut　I　will　smite　you　openly　if　I　can。〃

He　poised　his　spear　as　he　spoke；　and　hurled　it　from　him。　It
struck　the　sevenfold　shield　in　its　outermost　layerthe　eighth；
which　was　of　bronzeand　went　through　six　of　the　layers　but　in
the　seventh　hide　it　stayed。　Then　Ajax　threw　in　his　turn；　and
struck　the　round　shield　of　the　son　of　Priam。　The　terrible　spear
went　through　his　gleaming　shield；　and　pressed　onward　through　his
cuirass　of　cunning　workmanship；　it　pierced　the　shirt　against　his
side；　but　he　swerved　and　thus　saved　his　life。　They　then　each　of
them　drew　out　the　spear　from　his　shield；　and　fell　on　one　another
like　savage　lions　or　wild　boars　of　great　strength　and　endurance：
the　son　of　Priam　struck　the　middle　of　Ajax's　shield；　but　the
bronze　did　not　break；　and　the　point　of　his　dart　was　turned。　Ajax
then　sprang　forward　and　pierced　the　shield　of　Hector；　the　spear
went　through　it　and　staggered　him　as　he　was　springing　forward　to
attack；　it　gashed　his　neck　and　the　blood　came　pouring　from　the
wound；　but　even　so　Hector　did　not　cease　fighting；　he　gave　ground；
and　with　his　brawny　hand　seized　a　stone；　rugged　and　huge；　that
was　lying　upon　the　plain；　with　this　he　struck　the　shield　of　Ajax
on　the　boss　that　was　in　its　middle；　so　that　the　bronze　rang
again。　But　Ajax　in　turn　caught　up　a　far　larger　stone；　swung　it
aloft；　and　hurled　it　with　prodigious　force。　This　millstone　of　a
rock　broke　Hector's　shield　inwards　and　threw　him　down　on　his　back
with　the　shield　crushing　him　under　it；　but　Apollo　raised　him　at
once。　Thereon　they　would　have　hacked　at　one　another　in　close
bat　with　their　swords；　had　not　heralds；　messengers　of　gods　and
men；　e　forward；　one　from　the　Trojans　and　the　other　from　the
AchaeansTalthybius　and　Idaeus　both　of　them　honourable　men；
these　parted　them　with　their　staves；　and　the　good　herald　Idaeus
said；　〃My　sons；　fight　no　longer；　you　are　both　of　you　valiant；　and
both　are　dear　to　Jove；　we　know　this；　but　night　is　now　falling；
and　the　behests　of　night　may　not　be　well　gainsaid。〃

Ajax　son　of　Telamon　answered；　〃Idaeus；　bid　Hector　say　so；　for　it
was　he　that　challenged　our　princes。　Let　him　speak　first　and　I
will　accept　his　saying。〃

Then　Hector　said；　〃Ajax；　heaven　has　vouchsafed　you　stature　and
strength；　and　judgement；　and　in　wielding　the　spear　you　excel　all
others　of　the　Achaeans。　Let　us　for　this　day　cease　fighting；
hereafter　we　will　fight　anew　till　heaven　decide　between　us；　and
give　victory　to　one　or　to　the　other；　night　is　now　falling；　and
the　behests　of　night　may　not　be　well　gainsaid。　Gladden；　then；　the
hearts　of　the　Achaeans　at　your　ships；　and　more　especially　those
of　your　own　followers　and　clansmen；　while　I；　in　the　great　city　of
King　Priam；　bring　fort　to　the　Trojans　and　their　women；　who　vie
with　one　another　in　their　prayers　on　my　behalf。　Let　us；　moreover；
exchange　presents　that　it　may　be　said　among　the　Achaeans　and
Trojans；　'They　fought　with　might　and　main；　but　were　reconciled
and　parted　in　friendship。'〃

On　this　he　gave　Ajax　a　silver…studded　sword　with　its　sheath　and
leathern　baldric；　and　in　return　Ajax　gave　him　a　girdle　dyed　with
purple。　Thus　they　parted；　the　one　going　to　the　host　of　the
Achaeans；　and　the　other　to　that　of　the　Trojans；　who　rejoiced　when
they　saw　their　hero　e　to　them　safe　and　unharmed　from　the
stro