iliad10-第53章

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steams　upwards　from　about　the　roots　of　their　hornsnothing　but
the　yoke　divides　them　as　they　break　up　the　ground　till　they　reach
the　end　of　the　fieldeven　so　did　the　two　Ajaxes　stand　shoulder
to　shoulder　by　one　another。　Many　and　brave　rades　followed　the
son　of　Telamon；　to　relieve　him　of　his　shield　when　he　was　overe
with　sweat　and　toil；　but　the　Locrians　did　not　follow　so　close
after　the　son　of　Oileus；　for　they　could　not　hold　their　own　in　a
hand…to…hand　fight。　They　had　no　bronze　helmets　with　plumes　of
horse…hair；　neither　had　they　shields　nor　ashen　spears；　but　they
had　e　to　Troy　armed　with　bows；　and　with　slings　of　twisted　wool
from　which　they　showered　their　missiles　to　break　the　ranks　of　the
Trojans。　The　others；　therefore；　with　their　heavy　armour　bore　the
brunt　of　the　fight　with　the　Trojans　and　with　Hector；　while　the
Locrians　shot　from　behind；　under　their　cover；　and　thus　the
Trojans　began　to　lose　heart；　for　the　arrows　threw　them　into
confusion。

The　Trojans　would　now　have　been　driven　in　sorry　plight　from　the
ships　and　tents　back　to　windy　Ilius；　had　not　Polydamas　presently
said　to　Hector；　〃Hector；　there　is　no　persuading　you　to　take
advice。　Because　heaven　has　so　richly　endowed　you　with　the　arts　of
war；　you　think　that　you　must　therefore　excel　others　in　counsel；
but　you　cannot　thus　claim　preeminence　in　all　things。　Heaven　has
made　one　man　an　excellent　soldier；　of　another　it　has　made　a
dancer　or　a　singer　and　player　on　the　lyre；　while　yet　in　another
Jove　has　implanted　a　wise　understanding　of　which　men　reap　fruit
to　the　saving　of　many；　and　he　himself　knows　more　about　it　than
any　one；　therefore　I　will　say　what　I　think　will　be　best。　The
fight　has　hemmed　you　in　as　with　a　circle　of　fire；　and　even　now
that　the　Trojans　are　within　the　wall　some　of　them　stand　aloof　in
full　armour；　while　others　are　fighting　scattered　and　outnumbered
near　the　ships。　Draw　back；　therefore；　and　call　your　chieftains
round　you；　that　we　may　advise　together　whether　to　fall　now　upon
the　ships　in　the　hope　that　heaven　may　vouchsafe　us　victory；　or　to
beat　a　retreat　while　we　can　yet　safely　do　so。　I　greatly　fear　that
the　Achaeans　will　pay　us　their　debt　of　yesterday　in　full；　for
there　is　one　abiding　at　their　ships　who　is　never　weary　of　battle；
and　who　will　not　hold　aloof　much　longer。〃

Thus　spoke　Polydamas；　and　his　words　pleased　Hector　well。　He
sprang　in　full　armour　from　his　chariot　and　said；　〃Polydamas；
gather　the　chieftains　here；　I　will　go　yonder　into　the　fight；　but
will　return　at　once　when　I　have　given　them　their　orders。〃

He　then　sped　onward；　towering　like　a　snowy　mountain；　and　with　a
loud　cry　flew　through　the　ranks　of　the　Trojans　and　their　allies。
When　they　heard　his　voice　they　all　hastened　to　gather　round
Polydamas；　the　excellent　son　of　Panthous；　but　Hector　kept　on
among　the　foremost；　looking　everywhere　to　find　Deiphobus　and
prince　Helenus；　Adamas　son　of　Asius；　and　Asius　son　of　Hyrtacus；
living；　indeed；　and　scatheless　he　could　no　longer　find　them；　for
the　two　last　were　lying　by　the　sterns　of　the　Achaean　ships；　slain
by　the　Argives；　while　the　others　had　been　also　stricken　and
wounded　by　them；　but　upon　the　left　wing　of　the　dread　battle　he
found　Alexandrus；　husband　of　lovely　Helen；　cheering　his　men　and
urging　them　on　to　fight。　He　went　up　to　him　and　upbraided　him。
〃Paris；〃　said　he；　〃evil…hearted　Paris；　fair　to　see　but　woman…mad
and　false　of　tongue；　where　are　Deiphobus　and　King　Helenus？　Where
are　Adamas　son　of　Asius；　and　Asius　son　of　Hyrtacus？　Where　too　is
Othryoneus？　Ilius　is　undone　and　will　now　surely　fall！〃

Alexandrus　answered；　〃Hector；　why　find　fault　when　there　is　no　one
to　find　fault　with？　I　should　hold　aloof　from　battle　on　any　day
rather　than　this；　for　my　mother　bore　me　with　nothing　of　the
coward　about　me。　From　the　moment　when　you　set　our　men　fighting
about　the　ships　we　have　been　staying　here　and　doing　battle　with
the　Danaans。　Our　rades　about　whom　you　ask　me　are　dead；
Deiphobus　and　King　Helenus　alone　have　left　the　field；　wounded
both　of　them　in　the　hand；　but　the　son　of　Saturn　saved　them　alive。
Now；　therefore；　lead　on　where　you　would　have　us　go；　and　we　will
follow　with　right　goodwill；　you　shall　not　find　us　fail　you　in　so
far　as　our　strength　holds　out；　but　no　man　can　do　more　than　in　him
lies；　no　matter　how　willing　he　may　be。〃

With　these　words　he　satisfied　his　brother；　and　the　two　went
towards　the　part　of　the　battle　where　the　fight　was　thickest；
about　Cebriones；　brave　Polydamas；　Phalces；　Orthaeus；　godlike
Polyphetes；　Palmys；　Ascanius；　and　Morys　son　of　Hippotion；　who　had
e　from　fertile　Ascania　on　the　preceding　day　to　relieve　other
troops。　Then　Jove　urged　them　on　to　fight。　They　flew　forth　like
the　blasts　of　some　fierce　wind　that　strike　earth　in　the　van　of　a
thunderstormthey　buffet　the　salt　sea　into　an　uproar；　many　and
mighty　are　the　great　waves　that　e　crashing　in　one　after　the
other　upon　the　shore　with　their　arching　heads　all　crested　with
foameven　so　did　rank　behind　rank　of　Trojans　arrayed　in　gleaming
armour　follow　their　leaders　onward。　The　way　was　led　by　Hector　son
of　Priam；　peer　of　murderous　Mars；　with　his　round　shield　before
himhis　shield　of　ox…hides　covered　with　plates　of　bronzeand
his　gleaming　helmet　upon　his　temples。　He　kept　stepping　forward
under　cover　of　his　shield　in　every　direction；　making　trial　of　the
ranks　to　see　if　they　would　give　way　before　him；　but　he　could　not
daunt　the　courage　of　the　Achaeans。　Ajax　was　the　first　to　stride
out　and　challenge　him。　〃Sir；〃　he　cried；　〃draw　near；　why　do　you
think　thus　vainly　to　dismay　the　Argives？　We　Achaeans　are
excellent　soldiers；　but　the　scourge　of　Jove　has　fallen　heavily
upon　us。　Your　heart；　forsooth；　is　set　on　destroying　our　ships；
but　we　too　have　hands　that　can　keep　you　at　bay；　and　your　own　fair
town　shall　be　sooner　taken　and　sacked　by　ourselves。　The　time　is
near　when　you　shall　pray　Jove　and　all　the　gods　in　your　flight；
that　your　steeds　may　be　swifter　than　hawks　as　they　raise　the　dust
on　the　plain　and　bear　you　back　to　your　city。〃

As　he　was　thus　speaking　a　bird　flew　by　upon　his　right　hand；　and
the　host　of　the　Achaeans　shouted；　for　they　took　heart　at　the
omen。　But　Hector　answered；　〃Ajax；　braggart　and　false　of　tongue；
would　that　I　were　as　sure　of　being　son　for　evermore　to
aegis…bearing　Jove；　with　Queen　Juno　for　my　mother；　and　of　being
held　in　like　honour　with　Minerva　and　Apollo；　as　I　am　that　this
day　is　big　with　the　destruction　of　the　Achaeans；　and　you　shall
fall　among　them　if　you　dare　abide　my　spear；　it　shall　rend　your
fair　body　and　bid　you　glut　our　hounds　and　birds　of　prey　with　your
fat　and　your　flesh；　as　you　fall　by　the　ships　of　the　Achaeans。〃

With　these　words　he　led　the　way　and　the　others　followed　after
with　a　cry　that　rent　the　air；　while　the　host　shouted　behind　them。
The　Argives　on　their　part　raised　a　shout　likewise；　nor　did　they
forget　their　prowess；　but　stood　firm　against　the　onslaught　of　the
Trojan　chieftains；　and　the　cry　from　both　the　hosts　rose　up　to
heaven　and　to　the　brightness　of　Jove's　presence。



BOOK　XIV

　　Agamemnon　proposes　that　the　Achaeans　should　sail　home；　and
　　is　rebuked　by　UlyssesJuno　beguiles　JupiterHector　is
　　wounded。

NESTOR　was　sitting　over　his　wine；　but　the　cry　of　battle　did　not
escape　him；　and　he　said　to　the　son　of　Aesculapius；　〃What；　noble
Machaon；　is　the　meaning　of　all　this？　The　shouts　of　men　fighting
by　our　ships　grow　stronger　and　stronger；　stay　here；　therefore；
and　sit　over　your　wine；　while　fair　Hecamede　heats　you　a　bath　and
washes　the　clotted　blood　from　off　you。　I　will　go　at　once　to　the
look…out　station　and　see　what　it　is　all　about。〃

As　he　spoke　he　took　up　the　shield　of　his　son　Thrasymedes　that　was
lying　in　his　tent；　all　gleaming　with　bronze；　for　Thrasymedes　had
taken　his　father's　shield；　he　grasped　his　redoubtable　bronze…shod
spear；　and　as　soon　as　he　was　outside　saw　the　disastrous　rout　of
the　Achaeans　who；　now　that　their　wall　was　overthrown；　were　flying
pell…mell　before　the　Trojans。　As　when　there　is　a　heavy　swell　upon
the　sea；　but　the　waves　are　dumbthey　keep　their　eyes　on　the
watch　for　the　quarter　whence　the　fierce　winds　may　spring　upon
them；　but　they　stay　where　they　are　and　set　neither　this　way　nor
that；　till　some　particular　wind　sweeps　down　from　heaven　t