iliad10-第72章

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darkness。　O　father　Jove；　lift　this　cloud　from　over　the　sons　of
the　Achaeans；　make　heaven　serene；　and　let　us　see；　if　you　will
that　we　perish；　let　us　fall　at　any　rate　by　daylight。〃

Father　Jove　heard　him　and　had　passion　upon　his　tears。
Forthwith　he　chased　away　the　cloud　of　darkness；　so　that　the　sun
shone　out　and　all　the　fighting　was　revealed。　Ajax　then　said　to
Menelaus；　〃Look；　Menelaus；　and　if　Antilochus　son　of　Nestor　be
still　living；　send　him　at　once　to　tell　Achilles　that　by　far　the
dearest　to　him　of　all　his　rades　has　fallen。〃

Menelaus　heeded　his　words　and　went　his　way　as　a　lion　from　a
stockyardthe　lion　is　tired　of　attacking　the　men　and　hounds；　who
keep　watch　the　whole　night　through　and　will　not　let　him　feast　on
the　fat　of　their　herd。　In　his　lust　of　meat　he　makes　straight　at
them　but　in　vain；　for　darts　from　strong　hands　assail　him；　and
burning　brands　which　daunt　him　for　all　his　hunger；　so　in　the
morning　he　slinks　sulkily　awayeven　so　did　Menelaus　sorely
against　his　will　leave　Patroclus；　in　great　fear　lest　the　Achaeans
should　be　driven　back　in　rout　and　let　him　fall　into　the　hands　of
the　foe。　He　charged　Meriones　and　the　two　Ajaxes　straitly　saying；
〃Ajaxes　and　Meriones；　leaders　of　the　Argives；　now　indeed　remember
how　good　Patroclus　was；　he　was　ever　courteous　while　alive；　bear
it　in　mind　now　that　he　is　dead。〃

With　this　Menelaus　left　them；　looking　round　him　as　keenly　as　an
eagle；　whose　sight　they　say　is　keener　than　that　of　any　other
birdhowever　high　he　may　be　in　the　heavens；　not　a　hare　that　runs
can　escape　him　by　crouching　under　bush　or　thicket；　for　he　will
swoop　down　upon　it　and　make　an　end　of　iteven　so；　O　Menelaus；
did　your　keen　eyes　range　round　the　mighty　host　of　your　followers
to　see　if　you　could　find　the　son　of　Nestor　still　alive。　Presently
Menelaus　saw　him　on　the　extreme　left　of　the　battle　cheering　on
his　men　and　exhorting　them　to　fight　boldly。　Menelaus　went　up　to
him　and　said；　〃Antilochus；　e　here　and　listen　to　sad　news；
which　I　would　indeed　were　untrue。　You　must　see　with　your　own　eyes
that　heaven　is　heaping　calamity　upon　the　Danaans；　and　giving
victory　to　the　Trojans。　Patroclus　has　fallen；　who　was　the　bravest
of　the　Achaeans；　and　sorely　will　the　Danaans　miss　him。　Run
instantly　to　the　ships　and　tell　Achilles；　that　he　may　e　to
rescue　the　body　and　bear　it　to　the　ships。　As　for　the　armour；
Hector　already　has　it。〃

Antilochus　was　struck　with　horror。　For　a　long　time　he　was
speechless；　his　eyes　filled　with　tears　and　he　could　find　no
utterance；　but　he　did　as　Menelaus　had　said；　and　set　off　running
as　soon　as　he　had　given　his　armour　to　a　rade；　Laodocus；　who
was　wheeling　his　horses　round；　close　beside　him。

Thus；　then；　did　he　run　weeping　from　the　field；　to　carry　the　bad
news　to　Achilles　son　of　Peleus。　Nor　were　you；　O　Menelaus；　minded
to　succour　his　harassed　rades；　when　Antilochus　had　left　the
Pyliansand　greatly　did　they　miss　himbut　he　sent　them　noble
Thrasymedes；　and　himself　went　back　to　Patroclus。　He　came　running
up　to　the　two　Ajaxes　and　said；　〃I　have　sent　Antilochus　to　the
ships　to　tell　Achilles；　but　rage　against　Hector　as　he　may；　he
cannot　e；　for　he　cannot　fight　without　armour。　What　then　will
be　our　best　plan　both　as　regards　rescuing　the　dead；　and　our　own
escape　from　death　amid　the　battle…cries　of　the　Trojans？〃

Ajax　answered；　〃Menelaus；　you　have　said　well：　do　you；　then；　and
Meriones　stoop　down；　raise　the　body；　and　bear　it　out　of　the　fray；
while　we　two　behind　you　keep　off　Hector　and　the　Trojans；　one　in
heart　as　in　name；　and　long　used　to　fighting　side　by　side　with　one
another。〃

On　this　Menelaus　and　Meriones　took　the　dead　man　in　their　arms　and
lifted　him　high　aloft　with　a　great　effort。　The　Trojan　host　raised
a　hue　and　cry　behind　them　when　they　saw　the　Achaeans　bearing　the
body　away；　and　flew　after　them　like　hounds　attacking　a　wounded
boar　at　the　loo　of　a　band　of　young　huntsmen。　For　a　while　the
hounds　fly　at　him　as　though　they　would　tear　him　in　pieces；　but
now　and　again　he　turns　on　them　in　a　fury；　scaring　and　scattering
them　in　all　directionseven　so　did　the　Trojans　for　a　while
charge　in　a　body；　striking　with　sword　and　with　spears　pointed　at
both　the　ends；　but　when　the　two　Ajaxes　faced　them　and　stood　at
bay；　they　would　turn　pale　and　no　man　dared　press　on　to　fight
further　about　the　dead。

In　this　wise　did　the　two　heroes　strain　every　nerve　to　bear　the
body　to　the　ships　out　of　the　fight。　The　battle　raged　round　them
like　fierce　flames　that　when　once　kindled　spread　like　wildfire
over　a　city；　and　the　houses　fall　in　the　glare　of　its　burning
even　such　was　the　roar　and　tramp　of　men　and　horses　that　pursued
them　as　they　bore　Patroclus　from　the　field。　Or　as　mules　that　put
forth　all　their　strength　to　draw　some　beam　or　great　piece　of
ship's　timber　down　a　rough　mountain…track；　and　they　pant　and
sweat　as　they；　go　even　so　did　Menelaus　and　pant　and　sweat　as　they
bore　the　body　of　Patroclus。　Behind　them　the　two　Ajaxes　held
stoutly　out。　As　some　wooded　mountain…spur　that　stretches　across　a
plain　will　turn　water　and　check　the　flow　even　of　a　great　river；
nor　is　there　any　stream　strong　enough　to　break　through　iteven
so　did　the　two　Ajaxes　face　the　Trojans　and　stem　the　tide　of　their
fighting　though　they　kept　pouring　on　towards　them　and　foremost
among　them　all　was　Aeneas　son　of　Anchises　with　valiant　Hector。　As
a　flock　of　daws　or　starlings　fall　to　screaming　and　chattering
when　they　see　a　falcon；　foe　to　all　small　birds；　e　soaring　near
them；　even　so　did　the　Achaean　youth　raise　a　babel　of　cries　as
they　fled　before　Aeneas　and　Hector；　unmindful　of　their　former
prowess。　In　the　rout　of　the　Danaans　much　goodly　armour　fell　round
about　the　trench；　and　of　fighting　there　was　no　end。



BOOK　XVIII

　　The　grief　of　Achilles　over　PatroclusThe　visit　of　Thetis
　　to　Vulcan　and　the　armour　that　he　made　for　Achilles。

THUS　then　did　they　fight　as　it　were　a　flaming　fire。　Meanwhile　the
fleet　runner　Antilochus；　who　had　been　sent　as　messenger；　reached
Achilles；　and　found　him　sitting　by　his　tall　ships　and　boding　that
which　was　indeed　too　surely　true。　〃Alas；〃　said　he　to　himself　in
the　heaviness　of　his　heart；　〃why　are　the　Achaeans　again　scouring
the　plain　and　flocking　towards　the　ships？　Heaven　grant　the　gods
be　not　now　bringing　that　sorrow　upon　me　of　which　my　mother　Thetis
spoke；　saying　that　while　I　was　yet　alive　the　bravest　of　the
Myrmidons　should　fall　before　the　Trojans；　and　see　the　light　of
the　sun　no　longer。　I　fear　the　brave　son　of　Menoetius　has　fallen
through　his　own　daring　and　yet　I　bade　him　return　to　the　ships　as
soon　as　he　had　driven　back　those　that　were　bringing　fire　against
them；　and　not　join　battle　with　Hector。〃

As　he　was　thus　pondering；　the　son　of　Nestor　came　up　to　him　and
told　his　sad　tale；　weeping　bitterly　the　while。　〃Alas；〃　he　cried；
〃son　of　noble　Peleus；　I　bring　you　bad　tidings；　would　indeed　that
they　were　untrue。　Patroclus　has　fallen；　and　a　fight　is　raging
about　his　naked　bodyfor　Hector　holds　his　armour。〃

A　dark　cloud　of　grief　fell　upon　Achilles　as　he　listened。　He
filled　both　hands　with　dust　from　off　the　ground；　and　poured　it
over　his　head；　disfiguring　his　ely　face；　and　letting　the
refuse　settle　over　his　shirt　so　fair　and　new。　He　flung　himself
down　all　huge　and　hugely　at　full　length；　and　tore　his　hair　with
his　hands。　The　bondswomen　whom　Achilles　and　Patroclus　had　taken
captive　screamed　aloud　for　grief；　beating　their　breasts；　and　with
their　limbs　failing　them　for　sorrow。　Antilochus　bent　over　him　the
while；　weeping　and　holding　both　his　hands　as　he　lay　groaning　for
he　feared　that　he　might　plunge　a　knife　into　his　own　throat。　Then
Achilles　gave　a　loud　cry　and　his　mother　heard　him　as　she　was
sitting　in　the　depths　of　the　sea　by　the　old　man　her　father；
whereon　she　screamed；　and　all　the　goddesses　daughters　of　Nereus
that　dwelt　at　the　bottom　of　the　sea；　came　gathering　round　her。
There　were　Glauce；　Thalia　and　Cymodoce；　Nesaia；　Speo；　Thoe　and
dark…eyed　Halie；　Cymothoe；　Actaea　and　Limnorea；　Melite；　Iaera；
Amphithoe　and　Agave；　Doto　and　Proto；　Pherusa　and　Dynamene；
Dexamene；　Amphinome　and　Callianeira；　Doris；　Panope；　and　the
famous　sea…nymph　Galatea；　Nemertes；　Apseudes　and　Callianassa。
There　were　also　Clymene；　Ianeira　and　Ianassa；　Maera；　Oreithuia
and　A