iliad10-第48章

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was　wounded　with　the　pitiless　bronze；　as　he　turned　round　and
bared　his　back　to　the　foe；　and　many　were　struck　clean　through
their　shields；　the　wall　and　battlements　were　everywhere　deluged
with　the　blood　alike　of　Trojans　and　of　Achaeans。　But　even　so　the
Trojans　could　not　rout　the　Achaeans；　who　still　held　on；　and　as
some　honest　hard…working　woman　weighs　wool　in　her　balance　and
sees　that　the　scales　be　true；　for　she　would　gain　some　pitiful
earnings　for　her　little　ones；　even　so　was　the　fight　balanced
evenly　between　them　till　the　time　came　when　Jove　gave　the　greater
glory　to　Hector　son　of　Priam；　who　was　first　to　spring　towards　the
wall　of　the　Achaeans。　When　he　had　done　so；　he　cried　aloud　to　the
Trojans；　〃Up；　Trojans；　break　the　wall　of　the　Argives；　and　fling
fire　upon　their　ships。〃

Thus　did　he　hound　them　on；　and　in　one　body　they　rushed　straight
at　the　wall　as　he　had　bidden　them；　and　scaled　the　battlements
with　sharp　spears　in　their　hands。　Hector　laid　hold　of　a　stone
that　lay　just　outside　the　gates　and　was　thick　at　one　end　but
pointed　at　the　other；　two　of　the　best　men　in　a　town；　as　men　now
are；　could　hardly　raise　it　from　the　ground　and　put　it　on　to　a
waggon；　but　Hector　lifted　it　quite　easily　by　himself；　for　the　son
of　scheming　Saturn　made　it　light　for　him。　As　a　shepherd　picks　up
a　ram's　fleece　with　one　hand　and　finds　it　no　burden；　so　easily
did　Hector　lift　the　great　stone　and　drive　it　right　at　the　doors
that　closed　the　gates　so　strong　and　so　firmly　set。　These　doors
were　double　and　high；　and　were　kept　closed　by　two　cross…bars　to
which　there　was　but　one　key。　When　he　had　got　close　up　to　them；
Hector　strode　towards　them　that　his　blow　might　gain　in　force　and
struck　them　in　the　middle；　leaning　his　whole　weight　against　them。
He　broke　both　hinges；　and　the　stone　fell　inside　by　reason　of　its
great　weight。　The　portals　re…echoed　with　the　sound；　the　bars　held
no　longer；　and　the　doors　flew　open；　one　one　way；　and　the　other
the　other；　through　the　force　of　the　blow。　Then　brave　Hector
leaped　inside　with　a　face　as　dark　as　that　of　flying　night。　The
gleaming　bronze　flashed　fiercely　about　his　body　and　he　had　two
spears　in　his　hand。　None　but　a　god　could　have　withstood　him　as　he
flung　himself　into　the　gateway；　and　his　eyes　glared　like　fire。
Then　he　turned　round　towards　the　Trojans　and　called　on　them　to
scale　the　wall；　and　they　did　as　he　bade　themsome　of　them　at
once　climbing　over　the　wall；　while　others　passed　through　the
gates。　The　Danaans　then　fled　panic…stricken　towards　their　ships；
and　all　was　uproar　and　confusion。



BOOK　XIII

　　Neptune　helps　the　AchaeansThe　feats　of　Idomeneus
　　Hector　at　the　ships。

NOW　when　Jove　had　thus　brought　Hector　and　the　Trojans　to　the
ships；　he　left　them　to　their　never…ending　toil；　and　turned　his
keen　eyes　away；　looking　elsewhither　towards　the　horse…breeders　of
Thrace；　the　Mysians；　fighters　at　close　quarters；　the　noble
Hippemolgi；　who　live　on　milk；　and　the　Abians；　justest　of　mankind。
He　no　longer　turned　so　much　as　a　glance　towards　Troy；　for　he　did
not　think　that　any　of　the　immortals　would　go　and　help　either
Trojans　or　Danaans。

But　King　Neptune　had　kept　no　blind　look…out；　he　had　been　looking
admiringly　on　the　battle　from　his　seat　on　the　topmost　crests　of
wooded　Samothrace；　whence　he　could　see　all　Ida；　with　the　city　of
Priam　and　the　ships　of　the　Achaeans。　He　had　e　from　under　the
sea　and　taken　his　place　here；　for　he　pitied　the　Achaeans　who　were
being　overe　by　the　Trojans；　and　he　was　furiously　angry　with
Jove。

Presently　he　came　down　from　his　post　on　the　mountain　top；　and　as
he　strode　swiftly　onwards　the　high　hills　and　the　forest　quaked
beneath　the　tread　of　his　immortal　feet。　Three　strides　he　took；
and　with　the　fourth　he　reached　his　goalAegae；　where　is　his
glittering　golden　palace；　imperishable；　in　the　depths　of　the　sea。
When　he　got　there；　he　yoked　his　fleet　brazen…footed　steeds　with
their　manes　of　gold　all　flying　in　the　wind；　he　clothed　himself　in
raiment　of　gold；　grasped　his　gold　whip；　and　took　his　stand　upon
his　chariot。　As　he　went　his　way　over　the　waves　the　sea…monsters
left　their　lairs；　for　they　knew　their　lord；　and　came　gambolling
round　him　from　every　quarter　of　the　deep；　while　the　sea　in　her
gladness　opened　a　path　before　his　chariot。　So　lightly　did　the
horses　fly　that　the　bronze　axle　of　the　car　was　not　even　wet
beneath　it；　and　thus　his　bounding　steeds　took　him　to　the　ships　of
the　Achaeans。

Now　there　is　a　certain　huge　cavern　in　the　depths　of　the　sea
midway　between　Tenedos　and　rocky　Imbrus；　here　Neptune　lord　of　the
earthquake　stayed　his　horses；　unyoked　them；　and　set　before　them
their　ambrosial　forage。　He　hobbled　their　feet　with　hobbles　of
gold　which　none　could　either　unloose　or　break；　so　that　they　might
stay　there　in　that　place　until　their　lord　should　return。　This
done　he　went　his　way　to　the　host　of　the　Achaeans。

Now　the　Trojans　followed　Hector　son　of　Priam　in　close　array　like
a　storm…cloud　or　flame　of　fire；　fighting　with　might　and　main　and
raising　the　cry　battle；　for　they　deemed　that　they　should　take　the
ships　of　the　Achaeans　and　kill　all　their　chiefest　heroes　then　and
there。　Meanwhile　earth…encircling　Neptune　lord　of　the　earthquake
cheered　on　the　Argives；　for　he　had　e　up　out　of　the　sea　and　had
assumed　the　form　and　voice　of　Calchas。

First　he　spoke　to　the　two　Ajaxes；　who　were　doing　their　best
already；　and　said；　〃Ajaxes；　you　two　can　be　the　saving　of　the
Achaeans　if　you　will　put　out　all　your　strength　and　not　let
yourselves　be　daunted。　I　am　not　afraid　that　the　Trojans；　who　have
got　over　the　wall　in　force；　will　be　victorious　in　any　other　part；
for　the　Achaeans　can　hold　all　of　them　in　check；　but　I　much　fear
that　some　evil　will　befall　us　here　where　furious　Hector；　who
boasts　himself　the　son　of　great　Jove　himself；　is　leading　them　on
like　a　pillar　of　flame。　May　some　god；　then；　put　it　into　your
hearts　to　make　a　firm　stand　here；　and　to　incite　others　to　do　the
like。　In　this　case　you　will　drive　him　from　the　ships　even　though
he　be　inspired　by　Jove　himself。〃

As　he　spoke　the　earth…encircling　lord　of　the　earthquake　struck
both　of　them　with　his　sceptre　and　filled　their　hearts　with
daring。　He　made　their　legs　light　and　active；　as　also　their　hands
and　their　feet。　Then；　as　the　soaring　falcon　poises　on　the　wing
high　above　some　sheer　rock；　and　presently　swoops　down　to　chase
some　bird　over　the　plain；　even　so　did　Neptune　lord　of　the
earthquake　wing　his　flight　into　the　air　and　leave　them。　Of　the
two；　swift　Ajax　son　of　Oileus　was　the　first　to　know　who　it　was
that　had　been　speaking　with　them；　and　said　to　Ajax　son　of
Telamon；　〃Ajax；　this　is　one　of　the　gods　that　dwell　on　Olympus；
who　in　the　likeness　of　the　prophet　is　bidding　us　fight　hard　by
our　ships。　It　was　not　Calchas　the　seer　and　diviner　of　omens；　I
knew　him　at　once　by　his　feet　and　knees　as　he　turned　away；　for　the
gods　are　soon　recognised。　Moreover　I　feel　the　lust　of　battle　burn
more　fiercely　within　me；　while　my　hands　and　my　feet　under　me　are
more　eager　for　the　fray。〃

And　Ajax　son　of　Telamon　answered；　〃I　too　feel　my　hands　grasp　my
spear　more　firmly；　my　strength　is　greater；　and　my　feet　more
nimble；　I　long；　moreover；　to　meet　furious　Hector　son　of　Priam；
even　in　single　bat。〃

Thus　did　they　converse；　exulting　in　the　hunger　after　battle　with
which　the　god　had　filled　them。　Meanwhile　the　earth…encircler
roused　the　Achaeans；　who　were　resting　in　the　rear　by　the　ships
overe　at　once　by　hard　fighting　and　by　grief　at　seeing　that　the
Trojans　had　got　over　the　wall　in　force。　Tears　began　falling　from
their　eyes　as　they　beheld　them；　for　they　made　sure　that　they
should　not　escape　destruction；　but　the　lord　of　the　earthquake
passed　lightly　about　among　them　and　urged　their　battalions　to　the
front。

First　he　went　up　to　Teucer　and　Leitus；　the　hero　Peneleos；　and
Thoas　and　Deipyrus；　Meriones　also　and　Antilochus；　valiant
warriors；　all　did　he　exhort。　〃Shame　on　you　young　Argives；〃　he
cried；　〃it　was　on　your　prowess　I　relied　for　the　saving　of　our
ships；　if　you　fight　not　with　might　and　main；　this　very　day　will
see　us　overe　by　the　Trojans。　Of　a　truth　my　eyes　behold　a　great
and　terrible　portent　which　I　had　never　thought　to　seethe
Trojans　at　our　shipsthey；　who　were　heretofore　like
panic…s