iliad10-第82章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


meet　your　doom　the　sooner。〃　Hector　feared　him　not　and　answered；
〃Son　of　Peleus；　think　not　that　your　words　can　scare　me　as　though
I　were　a　child；　I　too　if　I　will　can　brag　and　talk　unseemly；　I
know　that　you　are　a　mighty　warrior；　mightier　by　far　than　I；
nevertheless　the　issue　lies　in　the　lap　of　heaven　whether　I；　worse
man　though　I　be；　may　not　slay　you　with　my　spear；　for　this　too　has
been　found　keen　ere　now。〃

He　hurled　his　spear　as　he　spoke；　but　Minerva　breathed　upon　it；
and　though　she　breathed　but　very　lightly　she　turned　it　back　from
going　towards　Achilles；　so　that　it　returned　to　Hector　and　lay　at
his　feet　in　front　of　him。　Achilles　then　sprang　furiously　on　him
with　a　loud　cry；　bent　on　killing　him；　but　Apollo　caught　him　up
easily　as　a　god　can；　and　hid　him　in　a　thick　darkness。　Thrice　did
Achilles　spring　towards　him　spear　in　hand；　and　thrice　did　he
waste　his　blow　upon　the　air。　When　he　rushed　forward　for　the
fourth　time　as　though　he　were　a　god；　he　shouted　aloud　saying；
〃Hound；　this　time　too　you　have　escaped　deathbut　of　a　truth　it
came　exceedingly　near　you。　Phoebus　Apollo；　to　whom　it　seems　you
pray　before　you　go　into　battle；　has　again　saved　you；　but　if　I　too
have　any　friend　among　the　gods　I　will　surely　make　an　end　of　you
when　I　e　across　you　at　some　other　time。　Now；　however；　I　will
pursue　and　overtake　other　Trojans。〃

On　this　he　struck　Dryops　with　his　spear；　about　the　middle　of　his
neck；　and　he　fell　headlong　at　his　feet。　There　he　let　him　lie　and
stayed　Demouchus　son　of　Philetor；　a　man　both　brave　and　of　great
stature；　by　hitting　him　on　the　knee　with　a　spear；　then　he　smote
him　with　his　sword　and　killed　him。　After　this　he　sprang　on
Laogonus　and　Dardanus；　sons　of　Bias；　and　threw　them　from　their
chariot；　the　one　with　a　blow　from　a　thrown　spear；　while　the　other
he　cut　down　in　hand…to…hand　fight。　There　was　also　Tros　the　son　of
Alastorhe　came　up　to　Achilles　and　clasped　his　knees　in　the　hope
that　he　would　spare　him　and　not　kill　him　but　let　him　go；　because
they　were　both　of　the　same　age。　Fool；　he　might　have　known　that　he
should　not　prevail　with　him；　for　the　man　was　in　no　mood　for　pity
or　forbearance　but　was　in　grim　earnest。　Therefore　when　Tros　laid
hold　of　his　knees　and　sought　a　hearing　for　his　prayers；　Achilles
drove　his　sword　into　his　liver；　and　the　liver　came　rolling　out；
while　his　bosom　was　all　covered　with　the　black　blood　that　welled
from　the　wound。　Thus　did　death　close　his　eyes　as　he　lay　lifeless。

Achilles　then　went　up　to　Mulius　and　struck　him　on　the　ear　with　a
spear；　and　the　bronze　spear…head　came　right　out　at　the　other　ear。
He　also　struck　Echeclus　son　of　Agenor　on　the　head　with　his　sword；
which　became　warm　with　the　blood；　while　death　and　stern　fate
closed　the　eyes　of　Echeclus。　Next　in　order　the　bronze　point　of
his　spear　wounded　Deucalion　in　the　fore…arm　where　the　sinews　of
the　elbow　are　united；　whereon　he　waited　Achilles'　onset　with　his
arm　hanging　down　and　death　staring　him　in　the　face。　Achilles　cut
his　head　off　with　a　blow　from　his　sword　and　flung　it　helmet　and
all　away　from　him；　and　the　marrow　came　oozing　out　of　his　backbone
as　he　lay。　He　then　went　in　pursuit　of　Rhigmus；　noble　son　of
Peires；　who　had　e　from　fertile　Thrace；　and　struck　him　through
the　middle　with　a　spear　which　fixed　itself　in　his　belly；　so　that
he　fell　headlong　from　his　chariot。　He　also　speared　Areithous
squire　to　Rhigmus　in　the　back　as　he　was　turning　his　horses　in
flight；　and　thrust　him　from　his　chariot；　while　the　horses　were
struck　with　panic。

As　a　fire　raging　in　some　mountain　glen　after　long　droughtand
the　dense　forest　is　in　a　blaze；　while　the　wind　carries　great
tongues　of　fire　in　every　directioneven　so　furiously　did
Achilles　rage；　wielding　his　spear　as　though　he　were　a　god；　and
giving　chase　to　those　whom　he　would　slay；　till　the　dark　earth　ran
with　blood。　Or　as　one　who　yokes　broad…browed　oxen　that　they　may
tread　barley　in　a　threshing…floorand　it　is　soon　bruised　small
under　the　feet　of　the　lowing　cattleeven　so　did　the　horses　of
Achilles　trample　on　the　shields　and　bodies　of　the　slain。　The　axle
underneath　and　the　railing　that　ran　round　the　car　were
bespattered　with　clots　of　blood　thrown　up　by　the　horses'　hoofs；
and　from　the　tyres　of　the　wheels；　but　the　son　of　Peleus　pressed
on　to　win　still　further　glory；　and　his　hands　were　bedrabbled　with
gore。



BOOK　XXI

　　The　fight　between　Achilles　and　the　river　ScamanderThe　gods
　　fight　among　themselvesAchilles　drives　the　Trojans　within
　　their　gates。

NOW　when　they　came　to　the　ford　of　the　full…flowing　river　Xanthus；
begotten　of　immortal　Jove；　Achilles　cut　their　forces　in　two：　one
half　he　chased　over　the　plain　towards　the　city　by　the　same　way
that　the　Achaeans　had　taken　when　flying　panic…stricken　on　the
preceding　day　with　Hector　in　full　triumph；　this　way　did　they　fly
pell…mell；　and　Juno　sent　down　a　thick　mist　in　front　of　them　to
stay　them。　The　other　half　were　hemmed　in　by　the　deep
silver…eddying　stream；　and　fell　into　it　with　a　great　uproar。　The
waters　resounded；　and　the　banks　rang　again；　as　they　swam　hither
and　thither　with　loud　cries　amid　the　whirling　eddies。　As　locusts
flying　to　a　river　before　the　blast　of　a　grass　firethe　flame
es　on　and　on　till　at　last　it　overtakes　them　and　they　huddle
into　the　watereven　so　was　the　eddying　stream　of　Xanthus　filled
with　the　uproar　of　men　and　horses；　all　struggling　in　confusion
before　Achilles。

Forthwith　the　hero　left　his　spear　upon　the　bank；　leaning　it
against　a　tamarisk　bush；　and　plunged　into　the　river　like　a　god；
armed　with　his　sword　only。　Fell　was　his　purpose　as　he　hewed　the
Trojans　down　on　every　side。　Their　dying　groans　rose　hideous　as
the　sword　smote　them；　and　the　river　ran　red　with　blood。　As　when
fish　fly　scared　before　a　huge　dolphin；　and　fill　every　nook　and
corner　of　some　fair　havenfor　he　is　sure　to　eat　all　he　can
catcheven　so　did　the　Trojans　cower　under　the　banks　of　the
mighty　river；　and　when　Achilles'　arms　grew　weary　with　killing
them；　he　drew　twelve　youths　alive　out　of　the　water；　to　sacrifice
in　revenge　for　Patroclus　son　of　Menoetius。　He　drew　them　out　like
dazed　fawns；　bound　their　hands　behind　them　with　the　girdles　of
their　own　shirts；　and　gave　them　over　to　his　men　to　take　back　to
the　ships。　Then　he　sprang　into　the　river；　thirsting　for　still
further　blood。

There　he　found　Lycaon；　son　of　Priam　seed　of　Dardanus；　as　he　was
escaping　out　of　the　water；　he　it　was　whom　he　had　once　taken
prisoner　when　he　was　in　his　father's　vineyard；　having　set　upon
him　by　night；　as　he　was　cutting　young　shoots　from　a　wild　fig…tree
to　make　the　wicker　sides　of　a　chariot。　Achilles　then　caught　him
to　his　sorrow　unawares；　and　sent　him　by　sea　to　Lemnos；　where　the
son　of　Jason　bought　him。　But　a　guest…friend；　Eetion　of　Imbros；
freed　him　with　a　great　sum；　and　sent　him　to　Arisbe；　whence　he　had
escaped　and　returned　to　his　father's　house。　He　had　spent　eleven
days　happily　with　his　friends　after　he　had　e　from　Lemnos；　but
on　the　twelfth　heaven　again　delivered　him　into　the　hands　of
Achilles；　who　was　to　send　him　to　the　house　of　Hades　sorely
against　his　will。　He　was　unarmed　when　Achilles　caught　sight　of
him；　and　had　neither　helmet　nor　shield；　nor　yet　had　he　any　spear；
for　he　had　thrown　all　his　armour　from　him　on　to　the　bank；　and　was
sweating　with　his　struggles　to　get　out　of　the　river；　so　that　his
strength　was　now　failing　him。

Then　Achilles　said　to　himself　in　his　surprise；　〃What　marvel　do　I
see　here？　If　this　man　can　e　back　alive　after　having　been　sold
over　into　Lemnos；　I　shall　have　the　Trojans　also　whom　I　have　slain
rising　from　the　world　below。　Could　not　even　the　waters　of　the
grey　sea　imprison　him；　as　they　do　many　another　whether　he　will　or
no？　This　time　let　him　taste　my　spear；　that　I　may　know　for　certain
whether　mother　earth　who　can　keep　even　a　strong　man　down；　will　be
able　to　hold　him；　or　whether　thence　too　he　will　return。〃

Thus　did　he　pause　and　ponder。　But　Lycaon　came　up　to　him　dazed　and
trying　hard　to　embrace　his　knees；　for　he　would　fain　live；　not
die。　Achilles　thrust　at　him　with　his　spear；　meaning　to　kill　him；
but　Lycaon　ran　crouching　up　to　him　and　caught　his　knees；　whereby
the　spear　passed　over　his　back；　and　stuck　in　the　ground；
hungering　though　it　was　for　blood。　With　one　hand　he　ca