iliad10-第58章

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the　death　of　my　son；　even　though　it　end　in　my　being　struck　by
Jove's　lightning　and　lying　in　blood　and　dust　among　the　corpses。〃

As　he　spoke　he　gave　orders　to　yoke　his　horses　Panic　and　Rout；
while　he　put　on　his　armour。　On　this；　Jove　would　have　been　roused
to　still　more　fierce　and　implacable　enmity　against　the　other
immortals；　had　not　Minerva；　alarmed　for　the　safety　of　the　gods；
sprung　from　her　seat　and　hurried　outside。　She　tore　the　helmet
from　his　head　and　the　shield　from　his　shoulders；　and　she　took　the
bronze　spear　from　his　strong　hand　and　set　it　on　one　side；　then
she　said　to　Mars；　〃Madman；　you　are　undone；　you　have　ears　that
hear　not；　or　you　have　lost　all　judgement　and　understanding；　have
you　not　heard　what　Juno　has　said　on　ing　straight　from　the
presence　of　Olympian　Jove？　Do　you　wish　to　go　through　all　kinds　of
suffering　before　you　are　brought　back　sick　and　sorry　to　Olympus；
after　having　caused　infinite　mischief　to　all　us　others？　Jove
would　instantly　leave　the　Trojans　and　Achaeans　to　themselves；　he
would　e　to　Olympus　to　punish　us；　and　would　grip　us　up　one
after　another；　guilty　or　not　guilty。　Therefore　lay　aside　your
anger　for　the　death　of　your　son；　better　men　than　he　have　either
been　killed　already　or　will　fall　hereafter；　and　one　cannot
protect　every　one's　whole　family。〃

With　these　words　she　took　Mars　back　to　his　seat。　Meanwhile　Juno
called　Apollo　outside；　with　Iris　the　messenger　of　the　gods。
〃Jove；〃　she　said　to　them；　〃desires　you　to　go　to　him　at　once　on
Mt。　Ida；　when　you　have　seen　him　you　are　to　do　as　he　may　then　bid
you。〃

Thereon　Juno　left　them　and　resumed　her　seat　inside；　while　Iris
and　Apollo　made　all　haste　on　their　way。　When　they　reached
many…fountained　Ida；　mother　of　wild　beasts；　they　found　Jove
seated　on　topmost　Gargarus　with　a　fragrant　cloud　encircling　his
head　as　with　a　diadem。　They　stood　before　his　presence；　and　he　was
pleased　with　them　for　having　been　so　quick　in　obeying　the　orders
his　wife　had　given　them。

He　spoke　to　Iris　first。　〃Go；〃　said　he；　〃fleet　Iris；　tell　King
Neptune　what　I　now　bid　youand　tell　him　true。　Bid　him　leave　off
fighting；　and　either　join　the　pany　of　the　gods；　or　go　down
into　the　sea。　If　he　takes　no　heed　and　disobeys　me；　let　him
consider　well　whether　he　is　strong　enough　to　hold　his　own　against
me　if　I　attack　him。　I　am　older　and　much　stronger　than　he　is；　yet
he　is　not　afraid　to　set　himself　up　as　on　a　level　with　myself；　of
whom　all　the　other　gods　stand　in　awe。〃

Iris；　fleet　as　the　wind；　obeyed　him；　and　as　the　cold　hail　or
snowflakes　that　fly　from　out　the　clouds　before　the　blast　of
Boreas；　even　so　did　she　wing　her　way　till　she　came　close　up　to
the　great　shaker　of　the　earth。　Then　she　said；　〃I　have　e；　O
dark…haired　king　that　holds　the　world　in　his　embrace；　to　bring
you　a　message　from　Jove。　He　bids　you　leave　off　fighting；　and
either　join　the　pany　of　the　gods　or　go　down　into　the　sea；　if；
however；　you　take　no　heed　and　disobey　him；　he　says　he　will　e
down　here　and　fight　you。　He　would　have　you　keep　out　of　his　reach；
for　he　is　older　and　much　stronger　than　you　are；　and　yet　you　are
not　afraid　to　set　yourself　up　as　on　a　level　with　himself；　of　whom
all　the　other　gods　stand　in　awe。〃

Neptune　was　very　angry　and　said；　〃Great　heavens！　strong　as　Jove
may　be；　he　has　said　more　than　he　can　do　if　he　has　threatened
violence　against　me；　who　am　of　like　honour　with　himself。　We　were
three　brothers　whom　Rhea　bore　to　SaturnJove；　myself；　and　Hades
who　rules　the　world　below。　Heaven　and　earth　were　divided　into
three　parts；　and　each　of　us　was　to　have　an　equal　share。　When　we
cast　lots；　it　fell　to　me　to　have　my　dwelling　in　the　sea　for
evermore；　Hades　took　the　darkness　of　the　realms　under　the　earth；
while　air　and　sky　and　clouds　were　the　portion　that　fell　to　Jove；
but　earth　and　great　Olympus　are　the　mon　property　of　all。
Therefore　I　will　not　walk　as　Jove　would　have　me。　For　all　his
strength；　let　him　keep　to　his　own　third　share　and　be　contented
without　threatening　to　lay　hands　upon　me　as　though　I　were　nobody。
Let　him　keep　his　bragging　talk　for　his　own　sons　and　daughters；
who　must　perforce　obey　him。〃

Iris　fleet　as　the　wind　then　answered；　〃Am　I　really；　Neptune；　to
take　this　daring　and　unyielding　message　to　Jove；　or　will　you
reconsider　your　answer？　Sensible　people　are　open　to　argument；　and
you　know　that　the　Erinyes　always　range　themselves　on　the　side　of
the　older　person。〃

Neptune　answered；　〃Goddess　Iris；　your　words　have　been　spoken　in
season。　It　is　well　when　a　messenger　shows　so　much　discretion。
Nevertheless　it　cuts　me　to　the　very　heart　that　any　one　should
rebuke　so　angrily　another　who　is　his　own　peer；　and　of　like　empire
with　himself。　Now；　however；　I　will　give　way　in　spite　of　my
displeasure；　furthermore　let　me　tell　you；　and　I　mean　what　I　say
if　contrary　to　the　desire　of　myself；　Minerva　driver　of　the　spoil；
Juno；　Mercury；　and　King　Vulcan；　Jove　spares　steep　Ilius；　and　will
not　let　the　Achaeans　have　the　great　triumph　of　sacking　it；　let
him　understand　that　he　will　incur　our　implacable　resentment。〃

Neptune　now　left　the　field　to　go　down　under　the　sea；　and　sorely
did　the　Achaeans　miss　him。　Then　Jove　said　to　Apollo；　〃Go；　dear
Phoebus；　to　Hector；　for　Neptune　who　holds　the　earth　in　his
embrace　has　now　gone　down　under　the　sea　to　avoid　the　severity　of
my　displeasure。　Had　he　not　done　so　those　gods　who　are　below　with
Saturn　would　have　e　to　hear　of　the　fight　between　us。　It　is
better　for　both　of　us　that　he　should　have　curbed　his　anger　and
kept　out　of　my　reach；　for　I　should　have　had　much　trouble　with
him。　Take；　then；　your　tasselled　aegis；　and　shake　it　furiously；　so
as　to　set　the　Achaean　heroes　in　a　panic；　take；　moreover；　brave
Hector；　O　Far…Darter；　into　your　own　care；　and　rouse　him　to　deeds
of　daring；　till　the　Achaeans　are　sent　flying　back　to　their　ships
and　to　the　Hellespont。　From　that　point　I　will　think　it　well　over；
how　the　Achaeans　may　have　a　respite　from　their　troubles。〃

Apollo　obeyed　his　father's　saying；　and　left　the　crests　of　Ida；
flying　like　a　falcon；　bane　of　doves　and　swiftest　of　all　birds。　He
found　Hector　no　longer　lying　upon　the　ground；　but　sitting　up；　for
he　had　just　e　to　himself　again。　He　knew　those　who　were　about
him；　and　the　sweat　and　hard　breathing　had　left　him　from　the
moment　when　the　will　of　aegis…bearing　Jove　had　revived　him。
Apollo　stood　beside　him　and　said；　〃Hector　son　of　Priam；　why　are
you　so　faint；　and　why　are　you　here　away　from　the　others？　Has　any
mishap　befallen　you？〃

Hector　in　a　weak　voice　answered；　〃And　which；　kind　sir；　of　the
gods　are　you；　who　now　ask　me　thus？　Do　you　not　know　that　Ajax
struck　me　on　the　chest　with　a　stone　as　I　was　killing　his　rades
at　the　ships　of　the　Achaeans；　and　pelled　me　to　leave　off
fighting？　I　made　sure　that　this　very　day　I　should　breathe　my　last
and　go　down　into　the　house　of　Hades。〃

Then　King　Apollo　said　to　him；　〃Take　heart；　the　son　of　Saturn　has
sent　you　a　mighty　helper　from　Ida　to　stand　by　you　and　defend　you；
even　me；　Phoebus　Apollo　of　the　golden　sword；　who　have　been
guardian　hitherto　not　only　of　yourself　but　of　your　city。　Now；
therefore；　order　your　horsemen　to　drive　their　chariots　to　the
ships　in　great　multitudes。　I　will　go　before　your　horses　to　smooth
the　way　for　them；　and　will　turn　the　Achaeans　in　flight。〃

As　he　spoke　he　infused　great　strength　into　the　shepherd　of　his
people。　And　as　a　horse；　stabled　and　full…fed；　breaks　loose　and
gallops　gloriously　over　the　plain　to　the　place　where　he　is　wont
to　take　his　bath　in　the　riverhe　tosses　his　head；　and　his　mane
streams　over　his　shoulders　as　in　all　the　pride　of　his　strength　he
flies　full　speed　to　the　pastures　where　the　mares　are　feeding
even　so　Hector；　when　he　heard　what　the　god　said；　urged　his
horsemen　on；　and　sped　forward　as　fast　as　his　limbs　could　take
him。　As　country　peasants　set　their　hounds　on　to　a　homed　stag　or
wild　goathe　has　taken　shelter　under　rock　or　thicket；　and　they
cannot　find　him；　but；　lo；　a　bearded　lion　whom　their　shouts　have
roused　stands　in　their　path；　and　they　are　in　no　further　humour
for　the　chaseeven　so　the　Achaeans　were　still　charging　on　in　a
body；　using　their　swords　and　spears　pointed　at　both　ends；　but
when　they　saw　Hector　going　about　among　his　men　they　were　afraid；
and　their　hearts　fell　down　into