iliad10-第94章

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mare　to　you；　mine　though　it　indeed　be；　the　people　will　thus　see
that　I　am　neither　harsh　nor　vindictive。〃

With　this　he　gave　the　mare　over　to　Antilochus's　rade　Noemon；
and　then　took　the　cauldron。　Meriones；　who　had　e　in　fourth；
carried　off　the　two　talents　of　gold；　and　the　fifth　prize；　the
two…handled　urn；　being　unawarded；　Achilles　gave　it　to　Nestor；
going　up　to　him　among　the　assembled　Argives　and　saying；　〃Take
this；　my　good　old　friend；　as　an　heirloom　and　memorial　of　the
funeral　of　Patroclusfor　you　shall　see　him　no　more　among　the
Argives。　I　give　you　this　prize　though　you　cannot　win　one；　you　can
now　neither　wrestle　nor　fight；　and　cannot　enter　for　the
javelin…match　nor　foot…races；　for　the　hand　of　age　has　been　laid
heavily　upon　you。〃

So　saying　he　gave　the　urn　over　to　Nestor；　who　received　it　gladly
and　answered；　〃My　son；　all　that　you　have　said　is　true；　there　is
no　strength　now　in　my　legs　and　feet；　nor　can　I　hit　out　with　my
hands　from　either　shoulder。　Would　that　I　were　still　young　and
strong　as　when　the　Epeans　were　burying　King　Amarynceus　in
Buprasium；　and　his　sons　offered　prizes　in　his　honour。　There　was
then　none　that　could　vie　with　me　neither　of　the　Epeans　nor　the
Pylians　themselves　nor　the　Aetolians。　In　boxing　I　overcame
Clytomedes　son　of　Enops；　and　in　wrestling；　Ancaeus　of　Pleuron　who
had　e　forward　against　me。　Iphiclus　was　a　good　runner；　but　I
beat　him；　and　threw　farther　with　my　spear　than　either　Phyleus　or
Polydorus。　In　chariot…racing　alone　did　the　two　sons　of　Actor
surpass　me　by　crowding　their　horses　in　front　of　me；　for　they　were
angry　at　the　way　victory　had　gone；　and　at　the　greater　part　of　the
prizes　remaining　in　the　place　in　which　they　had　been　offered。
They　were　twins；　and　the　one　kept　on　holding　the　reins；　and
holding　the　reins；　while　the　other　plied　the　whip。　Such　was　I
then；　but　now　I　must　leave　these　matters　to　younger　men；　I　must
bow　before　the　weight　of　years；　but　in　those　days　I　was　eminent
among　heroes。　And　now；　sir；　go　on　with　the　funeral　contests　in
honour　of　your　rade：　gladly　do　I　accept　this　urn；　and　my　heart
rejoices　that　you　do　not　forget　me　but　are　ever　mindful　of　my
goodwill　towards　you；　and　of　the　respect　due　to　me　from　the
Achaeans。　For　all　which　may　the　grace　of　heaven　be　vouchsafed　you
in　great　abundance。〃

Thereon　the　son　of　Peleus；　when　he　had　listened　to　all　the　thanks
of　Nestor；　went　about　among　the　concourse　of　the　Achaeans；　and
presently　offered　prizes　for　skill　in　the　painful　art　of　boxing。
He　brought　out　a　strong　mule；　and　made　it　fast　in　the　middle　of
the　crowda　she…mule　never　yet　broken；　but　six　years　oldwhen
it　is　hardest　of　all　to　break　them：　this　was　for　the　victor；　and
for　the　vanquished　he　offered　a　double　cup。　Then　he　stood　up　and
said　among　the　Argives；　〃Son　of　Atreus；　and　all　other　Achaeans；　I
invite　our　two　champion　boxers　to　lay　about　them　lustily　and
pete　for　these　prizes。　He　to　whom　Apollo　vouchsafes　the
greater　endurance；　and　whom　the　Achaeans　acknowledge　as　victor；
shall　take　the　mule　back　with　him　to　his　own　tent；　while　he　that
is　vanquished　shall　have　the　double　cup。〃

As　he　spoke　there　stood　up　a　champion　both　brave　and　great
stature；　a　skilful　boxer；　Epeus；　son　of　Panopeus。　He　laid　his
hand　on　the　mule　and　said；　〃Let　the　man　who　is　to　have　the　cup
e　hither；　for　none　but　myself　will　take　the　mule。　I　am　the
best　boxer　of　all　here　present；　and　none　can　beat　me。　Is　it　not
enough　that　I　should　fall　short　of　you　in　actual　fighting？　Still；
no　man　can　be　good　at　everything。　I　tell　you　plainly；　and　it
shall　e　true；　if　any　man　will　box　with　me　I　will　bruise　his
body　and　break　his　bones；　therefore　let　his　friends　stay　here　in
a　body　and　be　at　hand　to　take　him　away　when　I　have　done　with
him。〃

They　all　held　their　peace；　and　no　man　rose　save　Euryalus　son　of
Mecisteus；　who　was　son　of　Talaus。　Mecisteus　went　once　to　Thebes
after　the　fall　of　Oedipus；　to　attend　his　funeral；　and　he　beat　all
the　people　of　Cadmus。　The　son　of　Tydeus　was　Euryalus's　second；
cheering　him　on　and　hoping　heartily　that　he　would　win。　First　he
put　a　waistband　round　him　and　then　he　gave　him　some　well…cut
thongs　of　ox…hide；　the　two　men　being　now　girt　went　into　the
middle　of　the　ring；　and　immediately　fell　to；　heavily　indeed　did
they　punish　one　another　and　lay　about　them　with　their　brawny
fists。　One　could　hear　the　horrid　crashing　of　their　jaws；　and　they
sweated　from　every　pore　of　their　skin。　Presently　Epeus　came　on
and　gave　Euryalus　a　blow　on　the　jaw　as　he　was　looking　round；
Euryalus　could　not　keep　his　legs；　they　gave　way　under　him　in　a
moment　and　he　sprang　up　with　a　bound；　as　a　fish　leaps　into　the
air　near　some　shore　that　is　all　bestrewn　with　sea…wrack；　when
Boreas　furs　the　top　of　the　waves；　and　then　falls　back　into　deep
water。　But　noble　Epeus　caught　hold　of　him　and　raised　him　up；　his
rades　also　came　round　him　and　led　him　from　the　ring；　unsteady
in　his　gait；　his　head　hanging　on　one　side；　and　spitting　great
clots　of　gore。　They　set　him　down　in　a　swoon　and　then　went　to
fetch　the　double　cup。

The　son　of　Peleus　now　brought　out　the　prizes　for　the　third
contest　and　showed　them　to　the　Argives。　These　were　for　the
painful　art　of　wrestling。　For　the　winner　there　was　a　great　tripod
ready　for　setting　upon　the　fire；　and　the　Achaeans　valued　it　among
themselves　at　twelve　oxen。　For　the　loser　he　brought　out　a　woman
skilled　in　all　manner　of　arts；　and　they　valued　her　at　four　oxen。
He　rose　and　said　among　the　Argives；　〃Stand　forward；　you　who　will
essay　this　contest。〃

Forthwith　uprose　great　Ajax　the　son　of　Telamon；　and　crafty
Ulysses；　full　of　wiles；　rose　also。　The　two　girded　themselves　and
went　into　the　middle　of　the　ring。　They　gripped　each　other　in
their　strong　hands　like　the　rafters　which　some　master…builder
frames　for　the　roof　of　a　high　house　to　keep　the　wind　out。　Their
backbones　cracked　as　they　tugged　at　one　another　with　their　mighty
armsand　sweat　rained　from　them　in　torrents。　Many　a　bloody　weal
sprang　up　on　their　sides　and　shoulders；　but　they　kept　on　striving
with　might　and　main　for　victory　and　to　win　the　tripod。　Ulysses
could　not　throw　Ajax；　nor　Ajax　him；　Ulysses　was　too　strong　for
him；　but　when　the　Achaeans　began　to　tire　of　watching　them；　Ajax
said　to　Ulysses；　〃Ulysses；　noble　son　of　Laertes；　you　shall　either
lift　me；　or　I　you；　and　let　Jove　settle　it　between　us。〃

He　lifted　him　from　the　ground　as　he　spoke；　but　Ulysses　did　not
forget　his　cunning。　He　hit　Ajax　in　the　hollow　at　back　of　his
knee；　so　that　he　could　not　keep　his　feet；　but　fell　on　his　back
with　Ulysses　lying　upon　his　chest；　and　all　who　saw　it　marvelled。
Then　Ulysses　in　turn　lifted　Ajax　and　stirred　him　a　little　from
the　ground　but　could　not　lift　him　right　off　it；　his　knee　sank
under　him；　and　the　two　fell　side　by　side　on　the　ground　and　were
all　begrimed　with　dust。　They　now　sprang　towards　one　another　and
were　for　wrestling　yet　a　third　time；　but　Achilles　rose　and　stayed
them。　〃Put　not　each　other　further；〃　said　he；　〃to　such　cruel
suffering；　the　victory　is　with　both　alike；　take　each　of　you　an
equal　prize；　and　let　the　other　Achaeans　now　pete。〃

Thus　did　he　speak　and　they　did　even　as　he　had　said；　and　put　on
their　shirts　again　after　wiping　the　dust　from　off　their　bodies。

The　son　of　Peleus　then　offered　prizes　for　speed　in　runninga
mixing…bowl　beautifully　wrought；　of　pure　silver。　It　would　hold
six　measures；　and　far　exceeded　all　others　in　the　whole　world　for
beauty；　it　was　the　work　of　cunning　artificers　in　Sidon；　and　had
been　brought　into　port　by　Phoenicians　from　beyond　the　sea；　who
had　made　a　present　of　it　to　Thoas。　Eueneus　son　of　Jason　had　given
it　to　Patroclus　in　ransom　of　Priam's　son　Lycaon；　and　Achilles　now
offered　it　as　a　prize　in　honour　of　his　rade　to　him　who　should
be　the　swiftest　runner。　For　the　second　prize　he　offered　a　large
ox；　well　fattened；　while　for　the　last　there　was　to　be　half　a
talent　of　gold。　He　then　rose　and　said　among　the　Argives；　〃Stand
forward；　you　who　will　essay　this　contest。〃

Forthwith　uprose　fleet　Ajax　son　of　Oileus；　with　cunning　Ulysses；
and　Nestor's　son　Antilochus；　the　fastest　runner　among　all　the
youth　of　his　time。　They　stood　side　by　side　and　Achilles　showed
them　the　goal。　The　course　was　set　out　for　them　from　the
starting…post；　and　t