iliad10-第40章

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horses　got　there；　but　these　came　up　presently。　The　son　of　Saturn
sent　a　portent　of　evil　sound　about　their　host；　and　the　dew　fell
red　with　blood；　for　he　was　about　to　send　many　a　brave　man
hurrying　down　to　Hades。

The　Trojans；　on　the　other　side　upon　the　rising　slope　of　the
plain；　were　gathered　round　great　Hector；　noble　Polydamas；　Aeneas
who　was　honoured　by　the　Trojans　like　an　immortal；　and　the　three
sons　of　Antenor；　Polybus；　Agenor；　and　young　Acamas　beauteous　as　a
god。　Hector's　round　shield　showed　in　the　front　rank；　and　as　some
baneful　star　that　shines　for　a　moment　through　a　rent　in　the
clouds　and　is　again　hidden　beneath　them；　even　so　was　Hector　now
seen　in　the　front　ranks　and　now　again　in　the　hindermost；　and　his
bronze　armour　gleamed　like　the　lightning　of　aegis…bearing　Jove。

And　now　as　a　band　of　reapers　mow　swathes　of　wheat　or　barley　upon
a　rich　man's　land；　and　the　sheaves　fall　thick　before　them；　even
so　did　the　Trojans　and　Achaeans　fall　upon　one　another；　they　were
in　no　mood　for　yielding　but　fought　like　wolves；　and　neither　side
got　the　better　of　the　other。　Discord　was　glad　as　she　beheld　them；
for　she　was　the　only　god　that　went　among　them；　the　others　were
not　there；　but　stayed　quietly　each　in　his　own　home　among　the
dells　and　valleys　of　Olympus。　All　of　them　blamed　the　son　of
Saturn　for　wanting　to　give　victory　to　the　Trojans；　but　father
Jove　heeded　them　not：　he　held　aloof　from　all；　and　sat　apart　in
his　all…glorious　majesty；　looking　down　upon　the　city　of　the
Trojans；　the　ships　of　the　Achaeans；　the　gleam　of　bronze；　and
alike　upon　the　slayers　and　on　the　slain。

Now　so　long　as　the　day　waxed　and　it　was　still　morning；　their
darts　rained　thick　on　one　another　and　the　people　perished；　but　as
the　hour　drew　nigh　when　a　woodman　working　in　some　mountain　forest
will　get　his　midday　mealfor　he　has　felled　till　his　hands　are
weary；　he　is　tired　out；　and　must　now　have　foodthen　the　Danaans
with　a　cry　that　rang　through　all　their　ranks；　broke　the
battalions　of　the　enemy。　Agamemnon　led　them　on；　and　slew　first
Bienor；　a　leader　of　his　people；　and　afterwards　his　rade　and
charioteer　Oileus；　who　sprang　from　his　chariot　and　was　ing
full　towards　him；　but　Agamemnon　struck　him　on　the　forehead　with
his　spear；　his　bronze　visor　was　of　no　avail　against　the　weapon；
which　pierced　both　bronze　and　bone；　so　that　his　brains　were
battered　in　and　he　was　killed　in　full　fight。

Agamemnon　stripped　their　shirts　from　off　them　and　left　them　with
their　breasts　all　bare　to　lie　where　they　had　fallen。　He　then　went
on　to　kill　Isus　and　Antiphus　two　sons　of　Priam；　the　one　a
bastard；　the　other　born　in　wedlock；　they　were　in　the　same
chariotthe　bastard　driving；　while　noble　Antiphus　fought　beside
him。　Achilles　had　once　taken　both　of　them　prisoners　in　the　glades
of　Ida；　and　had　bound　them　with　fresh　withes　as　they　were
shepherding；　but　he　had　taken　a　ransom　for　them；　now；　however；
Agamemnon　son　of　Atreus　smote　Isus　in　the　chest　above　the　nipple
with　his　spear；　while　he　struck　Antiphus　hard　by　the　ear　and
threw　him　from　his　chariot。　Forthwith　he　stripped　their　goodly
armour　from　off　them　and　recognized　them；　for　he　had　already　seen
them　at　ships　when　Achilles　brought　them　in　from　Ida。　As　a　lion
fastens　on　the　fawns　of　a　hind　and　crushes　them　in　his　great
jaws；　robbing　them　of　their　tender　life　while　he　on　his　way　back
to　his　lairthe　hind　can　do　nothing　for　them　even　though　she　be
close　by；　for　she　is　in　an　agony　of　fear；　and　flies　through　the
thick　forest；　sweating；　and　at　her　utmost　speed　before　the　mighty
monsterso；　no　man　of　the　Trojans　could　help　Isus　and　Antiphus；
for　they　were　themselves　flying　panic　before　the　Argives。

Then　King　Agamemnon　took　the　two　sons　of　Antimachus；　Pisander　and
brave　Hippolochus。　It　was　Antimachus　who　had　been　foremost　in
preventing　Helen's　being　restored　to　Menelaus；　for　he　was　largely
bribed　by　Alexandrus；　and　now　Agamemnon　took　his　two　sons；　both
in　the　same　chariot；　trying　to　bring　their　horses　to　a　standfor
they　had　lost　hold　of　the　reins　and　the　horses　were　mad　with
fear。　The　son　of　Atreus　sprang　upon　them　like　a　lion；　and　the
pair　besought　him　from　their　chariot。　〃Take　us　alive；〃　they
cried；　〃son　of　Atreus；　and　you　shall　receive　a　great　ransom　for
us。　Our　father　Antimachus　has　great　store　of　gold；　bronze；　and
wrought　iron；　and　from　this　he　will　satisfy　you　with　a　very　large
ransom　should　he　hear　of　our　being　alive　at　the　ships　of　the
Achaeans。〃

With　such　piteous　words　and　tears　did　they　beseech　the　king；　but
they　heard　no　pitiful　answer　in　return。　〃If；〃　said　Agamemnon；
〃you　are　sons　of　Antimachus；　who　once　at　a　council　of　Trojans
proposed　that　Menelaus　and　Ulysses；　who　had　e　to　you　as
envoys；　should　be　killed　and　not　suffered　to　return；　you　shall
now　pay　for　the　foul　iniquity　of　your　father。〃

As　he　spoke　he　felled　Pisander　from　his　chariot　to　the　earth；
smiting　him　on　the　chest　with　his　spear；　so　that　he　lay　face
uppermost　upon　the　ground。　Hippolochus　fled；　but　him　too　did
Agamemnon　smite；　he　cut　off　his　hands　and　his　headwhich　he　sent
rolling　in　among　the　crowd　as　though　it　were　a　ball。　There　he　let
them　both　lie；　and　wherever　the　ranks　were　thickest　thither　he
flew；　while　the　other　Achaeans　followed。　Foot　soldiers　drove　the
foot　soldiers　of　the　foe　in　rout　before　them；　and　slew　them；
horsemen　did　the　like　by　horsemen；　and　the　thundering　tramp　of
the　horses　raised　a　cloud　of　dust　from　off　the　plain。　King
Agamemnon　followed　after；　ever　slaying　them　and　cheering　on　the
Achaeans。　As　when　some　mighty　forest　is　all　ablazethe　eddying
gusts　whirl　fire　in　all　directions　till　the　thickets　shrivel　and
are　consumed　before　the　blast　of　the　flameeven　so　fell　the
heads　of　the　flying　Trojans　before　Agamemnon　son　of　Atreus；　and
many　a　noble　pair　of　steeds　drew　an　empty　chariot　along　the
highways　of　war；　for　lack　of　drivers　who　were　lying　on　the　plain；
more　useful　now　to　vultures　than　to　their　wives。

Jove　drew　Hector　away　from　the　darts　and　dust；　with　the　carnage
and　din　of　battle；　but　the　son　of　Atreus　sped　onwards；　calling
out　lustily　to　the　Danaans。　They　flew　on　by　the　tomb　of　old　Ilus；
son　of　Dardanus；　in　the　middle　of　the　plain；　and　past　the　place
of　the　wild　fig…tree　making　always　for　the　citythe　son　of
Atreus　still　shouting；　and　with　hands　all　bedrabbled　in　gore；　but
when　they　had　reached　the　Scaean　gates　and　the　oak　tree；　there
they　halted　and　waited　for　the　others　to　e　up。　Meanwhile　the
Trojans　kept　on　flying　over　the　middle　of　the　plain　like　a　herd
of　cows　maddened　with　fright　when　a　lion　has　attacked　them　in　the
dead　of　nighthe　springs　on　one　of　them；　seizes　her　neck　in　the
grip　of　his　strong　teeth　and　then　laps　up　her　blood　and　gorges
himself　upon　her　entrailseven　so　did　King　Agamemnon　son　of
Atreus　pursue　the　foe；　ever　slaughtering　the　hindmost　as　they
fled　pell…mell　before　him。　Many　a　man　was　flung　headlong　from　his
chariot　by　the　hand　of　the　son　of　Atreus；　for　he　wielded　his
spear　with　fury。

But　when　he　was　just　about　to　reach　the　high　wall　and　the　city；
the　father　of　gods　and　men　came　down　from　heaven　and　took　his
seat；　thunderbolt　in　hand；　upon　the　crest　of　many…fountained　Ida。
He　then　told　Iris　of　the　golden　wings　to　carry　a　message　for　him。
〃Go；〃　said　he；　〃fleet　Iris；　and　speak　thus　to　Hectorsay　that　so
long　as　he　sees　Agamemnon　heading　his　men　and　making　havoc　of　the
Trojan　ranks；　he　is　to　keep　aloof　and　bid　the　others　bear　the
brunt　of　the　battle；　but　when　Agamemnon　is　wounded　either　by
spear　or　arrow；　and　takes　to　his　chariot；　then　will　I　vouchsafe
him　strength　to　slay　till　he　reach　the　ships　and　night　falls　at
the　going　down　of　the　sun。〃

Iris　hearkened　and　obeyed。　Down　she　went　to　strong　Ilius　from　the
crests　of　Ida；　and　found　Hector　son　of　Priam　standing　by　his
chariot　and　horses。　Then　she　said；　〃Hector　son　of　Priam；　peer　of
gods　in　counsel；　father　Jove　has　sent　me　to　bear　you　this
messageso　long　as　you　see　Agamemnon　heading　his　men　and　making
havoc　of　the　Trojan　ranks；　you　are　to　keep　aloof　and　bid　the
others　bear　the　brunt　of　the　battle；　but　when　Agamemnon　is
wounded　either　by　spear　or　arrow；　and　takes　to　his　chariot；　then
will　Jove　vouchsafe　you　strength　to　slay　till　you　reach　the
ships；　and　till　night　fal