iliad10-第86章

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there　was　none　to　help　them。　Presently　he　came　down　from　off　the
tower　and　with　many　a　groan　went　along　the　wall　to　give　orders　to
the　brave　warders　of　the　gate。　〃Keep　the　gates；〃　said　he；　〃wide
open　till　the　people　e　flying　into　the　city；　for　Achilles　is
hard　by　and　is　driving　them　in　rout　before　him。　I　see　we　are　in
great　peril。　As　soon　as　our　people　are　inside　and　in　safety；
close　the　strong　gates　for　I　fear　lest　that　terrible　man　should
e　bounding　inside　along　with　the　others。〃

As　he　spoke　they　drew　back　the　bolts　and　opened　the　gates；　and
when　these　were　opened　there　was　a　haven　of　refuge　for　the
Trojans。　Apollo　then　came　full　speed　out　of　the　city　to　meet　them
and　protect　them。　Right　for　the　city　and　the　high　wall；　parched
with　thirst　and　grimy　with　dust；　still　they　fied　on；　with
Achilles　wielding　his　spear　furiously　behind　them。　For　he　was　as
one　possessed；　and　was　thirsting　after　glory。

Then　had　the　sons　of　the　Achaeans　taken　the　lofty　gates　of　Troy
if　Apollo　had　not　spurred　on　Agenor；　valiant　and　noble　son　to
Antenor。　He　put　courage　into　his　heart；　and　stood　by　his　side　to
guard　him；　leaning　against　a　beech　tree　and　shrouded　in　thick
darkness。　When　Agenor　saw　Achilles　he　stood　still　and　his　heart
was　clouded　with　care。　〃Alas；〃　said　he　to　himself　in　his　dismay；
〃if　I　fly　before　mighty　Achilles；　and　go　where　all　the　others　are
being　driven　in　rout；　he　will　none　the　less　catch　me　and　kill　me
for　a　coward。　How　would　it　be　were　I　to　let　Achilles　drive　the
others　before　him；　and　then　fly　from　the　wall　to　the　plain　that
is　behind　Ilius　till　I　reach　the　spurs　of　Ida　and　can　hide　in　the
underwood　that　is　thereon？　I　could　then　wash　the　sweat　from　off
me　in　the　river　and　in　the　evening　return　to　Ilius。　But　why
mune　with　myself　in　this　way？　Like　enough　he　would　see　me　as　I
am　hurrying　from　the　city　over　the　plain；　and　would　speed　after
me　till　he　had　caught　meI　should　stand　no　chance　against　him；
for　he　is　mightiest　of　all　mankind。　What；　then；　if　I　go　out　and
meet　him　in　front　of　the　city？　His　flesh　too；　I　take　it；　can　be
pierced　by　pointed　bronze。　Life　is　the　same　in　one　and　all；　and
men　say　that　he　is　but　mortal　despite　the　triumph　that　Jove　son
of　Saturn　vouchsafes　him。〃

So　saying　he　stood　on　his　guard　and　awaited　Achilles；　for　he　was
now　fain　to　fight　him。　As　a　leopardess　that　bounds　from　out　a
thick　covert　to　attack　a　huntershe　knows　no　fear　and　is　not
dismayed　by　the　baying　of　the　hounds；　even　though　the　man　be　too
quick　for　her　and　wound　her　either　with　thrust　or　spear；　still；
though　the　spear　has　pierced　her　she　will　not　give　in　till　she
has　either　caught　him　in　her　grip　or　been　killed　outrighteven
so　did　noble　Agenor　son　of　Antenor　refuse　to　fly　till　he　had　made
trial　of　Achilles；　and　took　aim　at　him　with　his　spear；　holding
his　round　shield　before　him　and　crying　with　a　loud　voice。　〃Of　a
truth；〃　said　he；　〃noble　Achilles；　you　deem　that　you　shall　this
day　sack　the　city　of　the　proud　Trojans。　Fool；　there　will　be
trouble　enough　yet　before　it；　for　there　is　many　a　brave　man　of　us
still　inside　who　will　stand　in　front　of　our　dear　parents　with　our
wives　and　children；　to　defend　Ilius。　Here　therefore；　huge　and
mighty　warrior　though　you　be；　here　shall　you　die。〃

As　he　spoke　his　strong　hand　hurled　his　javelin　from　him；　and　the
spear　struck　Achilles　on　the　leg　beneath　the　knee；　the　greave　of
newly　wrought　tin　rang　loudly；　but　the　spear　recoiled　from　the
body　of　him　whom　it　had　struck；　and　did　not　pierce　it；　for　the
gods　gift　stayed　it。　Achilles　in　his　turn　attacked　noble　Agenor；
but　Apollo　would　not　vouchsafe　him　glory；　for　he　snatched　Agenor
away　and　hid　him　in　a　thick　mist；　sending　him　out　of　the　battle
unmolested　Then　he　craftily　drew　the　son　of　Peleus　away　from
going　after　the　host；　for　he　put　on　the　semblance　of　Agenor　and
stood　in　front　of　Achilles；　who　ran　towards　him　to　give　him　chase
and　pursued　him　over　the　corn　lands　of　the　plain；　turning　him
towards　the　deep　waters　of　the　river　Scamander。　Apollo　ran　but　a
little　way　before　him　and　beguiled　Achilles　by　making　him　think
all　the　time　that　he　was　on　the　point　of　overtaking　him。
Meanwhile　the　rabble　of　routed　Trojans　was　thankful　to　crowd
within　the　city　till　their　numbers　thronged　it；　no　longer　did
they　dare　wait　for　one　another　outside　the　city　walls；　to　learn
who　had　escaped　and　who　were　fallen　in　fight；　but　all　whose　feet
and　knees　could　still　carry　them　poured　pell…mell　into　the　town。



BOOK　XXII

　　The　death　of　Hector。

THUS　the　Trojans　in　the　city；　scared　like　fawns；　wiped　the　sweat
from　off　them　and　drank　to　quench　their　thirst；　leaning　against
the　goodly　battlements；　while　the　Achaeans　with　their　shields
laid　upon　their　shoulders　drew　close　up　to　the　walls。　But　stern
fate　bade　Hector　stay　where　he　was　before　Ilius　and　the　Scaean
gates。　Then　Phoebus　Apollo　spoke　to　the　son　of　Peleus　saying；
〃Why；　son　of　Peleus；　do　you；　who　are　but　man；　give　chase　to　me
who　am　immortal？　Have　you　not　yet　found　out　that　it　is　a　god　whom
you　pursue　so　furiously？　You　did　not　harass　the　Trojans　whom　you
had　routed；　and　now　they　are　within　their　walls；　while　you　have
been　decoyed　hither　away　from　them。　Me　you　cannot　kill；　for　death
can　take　no　hold　upon　me。〃

Achilles　was　greatly　angered　and　said；　〃You　have　baulked　me；
Far…Darter；　most　malicious　of　all　gods；　and　have　drawn　me　away
from　the　wall；　where　many　another　man　would　have　bitten　the　dust
ere　he　got　within　Ilius；　you　have　robbed　me　of　great　glory　and
have　saved　the　Trojans　at　no　risk　to　yourself；　for　you　have
nothing　to　fear；　but　I　would　indeed　have　my　revenge　if　it　were　in
my　power　to　do　so。〃

On　this；　with　fell　intent　he　made　towards　the　city；　and　as　the
winning　horse　in　a　chariot　race　strains　every　nerve　when　he　is
flying　over　the　plain；　even　so　fast　and　furiously　did　the　limbs
of　Achilles　bear　him　onwards。　King　Priam　was　first　to　note　him　as
he　scoured　the　plain；　all　radiant　as　the　star　which　men　call
Orion's　Hound；　and　whose　beams　blaze　forth　in　time　of　harvest
more　brilliantly　than　those　of　any　other　that　shines　by　night；
brightest　of　them　all　though　he　be；　he　yet　bodes　ill　for　mortals；
for　he　brings　fire　and　fever　in　his　traineven　so　did　Achilles'
armour　gleam　on　his　breast　as　he　sped　onwards。　Priam　raised　a　cry
and　beat　his　head　with　his　hands　as　he　lifted　them　up　and　shouted
out　to　his　dear　son；　imploring　him　to　return；　but　Hector　still
stayed　before　the　gates；　for　his　heart　was　set　upon　doing　battle
with　Achilles。　The　old　man　reached　out　his　arms　towards　him　and
bade　him　for　pity's　sake　e　within　the　walls。　〃Hector；〃　he
cried；　〃my　son；　stay　not　to　face　this　man　alone　and　unsupported；
or　you　will　meet　death　at　the　hands　of　the　son　of　Peleus；　for　he
is　mightier　than　you。　Monster　that　he　is；　would　indeed　that　the
gods　loved　him　no　better　than　I　do；　for　so；　dogs　and　vultures
would　soon　devour　him　as　he　lay　stretched　on　earth；　and　a　load　of
grief　would　be　lifted　from　my　heart；　for　many　a　brave　son　has　he
reft　from　me；　either　by　killing　them　or　selling　them　away　in　the
islands　that　are　beyond　the　sea：　even　now　I　miss　two　sons　from
among　the　Trojans　who　have　thronged　within　the　city；　Lycaon　and
Polydorus；　whom　Laothoe　peeress　among　women　bore　me。　Should　they
be　still　alive　and　in　the　hands　of　the　Achaeans；　we　will　ransom
them　with　gold　and　bronze；　of　which　we　have　store；　for　the　old
man　Altes　endowed　his　daughter　richly；　but　if　they　are　already
dead　and　in　the　house　of　Hades；　sorrow　will　it　be　to　us　two　who
were　their　parents；　albeit　the　grief　of　others　will　be　more
short…lived　unless　you　too　perish　at　the　hands　of　Achilles。　e；
then；　my　son；　within　the　city；　to　be　the　guardian　of　Trojan　men
and　Trojan　women；　or　you　will　both　lose　your　own　life　and　afford
a　mighty　triumph　to　the　son　of　Peleus。　Have　pity　also　on　your
unhappy　father　while　life　yet　remains　to　himon　me；　whom　the　son
of　Saturn　will　destroy　by　a　terrible　doom　on　the　threshold　of　old
age；　after　I　have　seen　my　sons　slain　and　my　daughters　haled　away
as　captives；　my　bridal　chambers　pillaged；　little　children　dashed
to　earth　amid　the　rage　of　battle；　and　my　sons'　wives　dragged　away
by　the　cruel　hands　of　the　Achaeans；　in　the　end　fierce　hounds　will
t