iliad10-第60章

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He　then　aimed　a　spear　at　Ajax；　and　missed　him；　but　he　hit
Lycophron　a　follower　of　Ajax；　who　came　from　Cythera；　but　was
living　with　Ajax　inasmuch　as　he　had　killed　a　man　among　the
Cythereans。　Hector's　spear　struck　him　on　the　head　below　the　ear；
and　he　fell　headlong　from　the　ship's　prow　on　to　the　ground　with
no　life　left　in　him。　Ajax　shook　with　rage　and　said　to　his
brother；　〃Teucer；　my　good　fellow；　our　trusty　rade　the　son　of
Mastor　has　fallen；　he　came　to　live　with　us　from　Cythera　and　whom
we　honoured　as　much　as　our　own　parents。　Hector　has　just　killed
him；　fetch　your　deadly　arrows　at　once　and　the　bow　which　Phoebus
Apollo　gave　you。〃

Teucer　heard　him　and　hastened　towards　him　with　his　bow　and　quiver
in　his　hands。　Forthwith　he　showered　his　arrows　on　the　Trojans；
and　hit　Cleitus　the　son　of　Pisenor；　rade　of　Polydamas　the
noble　son　of　Panthous；　with　the　reins　in　his　hands　as　he　was
attending　to　his　horses；　he　was　in　the　middle　of　the　very
thickest　part　of　the　fight；　doing　good　service　to　Hector　and　the
Trojans；　but　evil　had　now　e　upon　him；　and　not　one　of　those　who
were　fain　to　do　so　could　avert　it；　for　the　arrow　struck　him　on
the　back　of　the　neck。　He　fell　from　his　chariot　and　his　horses
shook　the　empty　car　as　they　swerved　aside。　King　Polydamas　saw
what　had　happened；　and　was　the　first　to　e　up　to　the　horses；　he
gave　them　in　charge　to　Astynous　son　of　Protiaon；　and　ordered　him
to　look　on；　and　to　keep　the　horses　near　at　hand。　He　then　went
back　and　took　his　place　in　the　front　ranks。

Teucer　then　aimed　another　arrow　at　Hector；　and　there　would　have
been　no　more　fighting　at　the　ships　if　he　had　hit　him　and　killed
him　then　and　there：　Jove；　however；　who　kept　watch　over　Hector；
had　his　eyes　on　Teucer；　and　deprived　him　of　his　triumph；　by
breaking　his　bowstring　for　him　just　as　he　was　drawing　it　and
about　to　take　his　aim；　on　this　the　arrow　went　astray　and　the　bow
fell　from　his　hands。　Teucer　shook　with　anger　and　said　to　his
brother；　〃Alas；　see　how　heaven　thwarts　us　in　all　we　do；　it　has
broken　my　bowstring　and　snatched　the　bow　from　my　hand；　though　I
strung　it　this　selfsame　morning　that　it　might　serve　me　for　many
an　arrow。〃

Ajax　son　of　Telamon　answered；　〃My　good　fellow；　let　your　bow　and
your　arrows　be；　for　Jove　has　made　them　useless　in　order　to　spite
the　Danaans。　Take　your　spear；　lay　your　shield　upon　your　shoulder；
and　both　fight　the　Trojans　yourself　and　urge　others　to　do　so。
They　may　be　successful　for　the　moment　but　if　we　fight　as　we　ought
they　will　find　it　a　hard　matter　to　take　the　ships。〃

Teucer　then　took　his　bow　and　put　it　by　in　his　tent。　He　hung　a
shield　four　hides　thick　about　his　shoulders；　and　on　his　ely
head　he　set　his　helmet　well　wrought　with　a　crest　of　horse…hair
that　nodded　menacingly　above　it；　he　grasped　his　redoubtable
bronze…shod　spear；　and　forthwith　he　was　by　the　side　of　Ajax。

When　Hector　saw　that　Teucer's　bow　was　of　no　more　use　to　him；　he
shouted　out　to　the　Trojans　and　Lycians；　〃Trojans；　Lycians；　and
Dardanians　good　in　close　fight；　be　men；　my　friends；　and　show　your
mettle　here　at　the　ships；　for　I　see　the　weapon　of　one　of　their
chieftains　made　useless　by　the　hand　of　Jove。　It　is　easy　to　see
when　Jove　is　helping　people　and　means　to　help　them　still　further；
or　again　when　he　is　bringing　them　down　and　will　do　nothing　for
them；　he　is　now　on　our　side；　and　is　going　against　the　Argives。
Therefore　swarm　round　the　ships　and　fight。　If　any　of　you　is
struck　by　spear　or　sword　and　loses　his　life；　let　him　die；　he　dies
with　honour　who　dies　fighting　for　his　country；　and　he　will　leave
his　wife　and　children　safe　behind　him；　with　his　house　and
allotment　unplundered　if　only　the　Achaeans　can　be　driven　back　to
their　own　land；　they　and　their　ships。〃

With　these　words　he　put　heart　and　soul　into　them　all。　Ajax　on　the
other　side　exhorted　his　rades　saying；　〃Shame　on　you　Argives；
we　are　now　utterly　undone；　unless　we　can　save　ourselves　by
driving　the　enemy　from　our　ships。　Do　you　think；　if　Hector　takes
them；　that　you　will　be　able　to　get　home　by　land？　Can　you　not　hear
him　cheering　on　his　whole　host　to　fire　our　fleet；　and　bidding
them　remember　that　they　are　not　at　a　dance　but　in　battle？　Our
only　course　is　to　fight　them　with　might　and　main；　we　had　better
chance　it；　life　or　death；　once　for　all；　than　fight　long　and
without　issue　hemmed　in　at　our　ships　by　worse　men　than
ourselves。〃

With　these　words　he　put　life　and　soul　into　them　all。　Hector　then
killed　Schedius　son　of　Perimedes；　leader　of　the　Phoceans；　and
Ajax　killed　Laodamas　captain　of　foot　soldiers　and　son　to　Antenor。
Polydamas　killed　Otus　of　Cyllene　a　rade　of　the　son　of　Phyleus
and　chief　of　the　proud　Epeans。　When　Meges　saw　this　he　sprang　upon
him；　but　Polydamas　crouched　down；　and　he　missed　him；　for　Apollo
would　not　suffer　the　son　of　Panthous　to　fall　in　battle；　but　the
spear　hit　Croesmus　in　the　middle　of　his　chest；　whereon　he　fell
heavily　to　the　ground；　and　Meges　stripped　him　of　his　armour。　At
that　moment　the　valiant　soldier　Dolops　son　of　Lampus　sprang　upon
Lampus　was　son　of　Laomedon　and　for　his　valour；　while　his　son
Dolops　was　versed　in　all　the　ways　of　war。　He　then　struck　the
middle　of　the　son　of　Phyleus'　shield　with　his　spear；　setting　on
him　at　close　quarters；　but　his　good　corslet　made　with　plates　of
metal　saved　him；　Phyleus　had　brought　it　from　Ephyra　and　the　river
Selleis；　where　his　host；　King　Euphetes；　had　given　it　him　to　wear
in　battle　and　protect　him。　It　now　served　to　save　the　life　of　his
son。　Then　Meges　struck　the　topmost　crest　of　Dolops's　bronze
helmet　with　his　spear　and　tore　away　its　plume　of　horse…hair；　so
that　all　newly　dyed　with　scarlet　as　it　was　it　tumbled　down　into
the　dust。　While　he　was　still　fighting　and　confident　of　victory；
Menelaus　came　up　to　help　Meges；　and　got　by　the　side　of　Dolops
unperceived；　he　then　speared　him　in　the　shoulder；　from　behind；
and　the　point；　driven　so　furiously；　went　through　into　his　chest；
whereon　he　fell　headlong。　The　two　then　made　towards　him　to　strip
him　of　his　armour；　but　Hector　called　on　all　his　brothers　for
help；　and　he　especially　upbraided　brave　Melanippus　son　of
Hiketaon；　who　erewhile　used　to　pasture　his　herds　of　cattle　in
Percote　before　the　war　broke　out；　but　when　the　ships　of　the
Danaans　came；　he　went　back　to　Ilius；　where　he　was　eminent　among
the　Trojans；　and　lived　near　Priam　who　treated　him　as　one　of　his
own　sons。　Hector　now　rebuked　him　and　said；　〃Why；　Melanippus；　are
we　thus　remiss？　do　you　take　no　note　of　the　death　of　your　kinsman；
and　do　you　not　see　how　they　are　trying　to　take　Dolops's　armour？
Follow　me；　there　must　be　no　fighting　the　Argives　from　a　distance
now；　but　we　must　do　so　in　close　bat　till　either　we　kill　them
or　they　take　the　high　wall　of　Ilius　and　slay　her　people。〃

He　led　on　as　he　spoke；　and　the　hero　Melanippus　followed　after。
Meanwhile　Ajax　son　of　Telamon　was　cheering　on　the　Argives。　〃My
friends；〃　he　cried；　〃be　men；　and　fear　dishonour；　quit　yourselves
in　battle　so　as　to　win　respect　from　one　another。　Men　who　respect
each　other's　good　opinion　are　less　likely　to　be　killed　than　those
who　do　not；　but　in　flight　there　is　neither　gain　nor　glory。〃

Thus　did　he　exhort　men　who　were　already　bent　upon　driving　back
the　Trojans。　They　laid　his　words　to　heart　and　hedged　the　ships　as
with　a　wall　of　bronze；　while　Jove　urged　on　the　Trojans。　Menelaus
of　the　loud　battle…cry　urged　Antilochus　on。　〃Antilochus；〃　said
he；　〃you　are　young　and　there　is　none　of　the　Achaeans　more　fleet
of　foot　or　more　valiant　than　you　are。　See　if　you　cannot　spring
upon　some　Trojan　and　kill　him。〃

He　hurried　away　when　he　had　thus　spurred　Antilochus；　who　at　once
darted　out　from　the　front　ranks　and　aimed　a　spear；　after　looking
carefully　round　him。　The　Trojans　fell　back　as　he　threw；　and　the
dart　did　not　speed　from　his　hand　without　effect；　for　it　struck
Melanippus　the　proud　son　of　Hiketaon　in　the　breast　by　the　nipple
as　he　was　ing　forward；　and　his　armour　rang　rattling　round　him
as　he　fell　heavily　to　the　ground。　Antilochus　sprang　upon　him　as　a
dog　springs　on　a　fawn　which　a　hunter　has　hit　as　it　was　breaking
away　from　its　covert；　and　killed　it。　Even　so；　O　Melanippus；　did
stalwart　Antilochus　spring　upon　you　to　strip　you　of　your　armour；
but　noble　Hector　marked　him；　and　came　running　up