the iliad(伊利亚特)-第13章

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children？　Do　as　you　will；　but　we　other　gods　shall　not　all　of　us
approve　your　counsel。〃
　　Jove　was　angry　and　answered；　〃My　dear；　what　harm　have　Priam　and
his　sons　done　you　that　you　are　so　hotly　bent　on　sacking　the　city　of
Ilius？　Will　nothing　do　for　you　but　you　must　within　their　walls　and　eat
Priam　raw；　with　his　sons　and　all　the　other　Trojans　to　boot？　Have　it
your　own　way　then；　for　I　would　not　have　this　matter　become　a　bone　of
contention　between　us。　I　say　further；　and　lay　my　saying　to　your　heart；
if　ever　I　want　to　sack　a　city　belonging　to　friends　of　yours；　you
must　not　try　to　stop　me；　you　will　have　to　let　me　do　it；　for　I　am
giving　in　to　you　sorely　against　my　will。　Of　all　inhabited　cities　under
the　sun　and　stars　of　heaven；　there　was　none　that　I　so　much　respected
as　Ilius　with　Priam　and　his　whole　people。　Equitable　feasts　were
never　wanting　about　my　altar；　nor　the　savour　of　burning　fat；　which
is　honour　due　to　ourselves。〃
　　〃My　own　three　favourite　cities；〃　answered　Juno；　〃are　Argos；
Sparta；　and　Mycenae。　Sack　them　whenever　you　may　be　displeased　with
them。　I　shall　not　defend　them　and　I　shall　not　care。　Even　if　I　did；　and
tried　to　stay　you；　I　should　take　nothing　by　it；　for　you　are　much
stronger　than　I　am；　but　I　will　not　have　my　own　work　wasted。　I　too　am　a
god　and　of　the　same　race　with　yourself。　I　am　Saturn's　eldest　daughter；
and　am　honourable　not　on　this　ground　only；　but　also　because　I　am
your　wife；　and　you　are　king　over　the　gods。　Let　it　be　a　case；　then；
of　give…and…take　between　us；　and　the　rest　of　the　gods　will　follow
our　lead。　Tell　Minerva　to　go　and　take　part　in　the　fight　at　once；　and
let　her　contrive　that　the　Trojans　shall　be　the　first　to　break　their
oaths　and　set　upon　the　Achaeans。〃
　　The　sire　of　gods　and　men　heeded　her　words；　and　said　to　Minerva；
〃Go　at　once　into　the　Trojan　and　Achaean　hosts；　and　contrive　that　the
Trojans　shall　be　the　first　to　break　their　oaths　and　set　upon　the
Achaeans。〃
　　This　was　what　Minerva　was　already　eager　to　do；　so　down　she　darted
from　the　topmost　summits　of　Olympus。　She　shot　through　the　sky　as
some　brilliant　meteor　which　the　son　of　scheming　Saturn　has　sent　as　a
sign　to　mariners　or　to　some　great　army；　and　a　fiery　train　of　light
follows　in　its　wake。　The　Trojans　and　Achaeans　were　struck　with　awe
as　they　beheld；　and　one　would　turn　to　his　neighbour；　saying；　〃Either
we　shall　again　have　war　and　din　of　combat；　or　Jove　the　lord　of
battle　will　now　make　peace　between　us。〃
　　Thus　did　they　converse。　Then　Minerva　took　the　form　of　Laodocus；
son　of　Antenor；　and　went　through　the　ranks　of　the　Trojans　to　find
Pandarus；　the　redoubtable　son　of　Lycaon。　She　found　him　standing
among　the　stalwart　heroes　who　had　followed　him　from　the　banks　of　the
Aesopus；　so　she　went　close　up　to　him　and　said；　〃Brave　son　of　Lycaon；
will　you　do　as　I　tell　you？　If　you　dare　send　an　arrow　at　Menelaus　you
will　win　honour　and　thanks　from　all　the　Trojans；　and　especially　from
prince　Alexandrus…　he　would　be　the　first　to　requite　you　very
handsomely　if　he　could　see　Menelaus　mount　his　funeral　pyre；　slain　by
an　arrow　from　your　hand。　Take　your　home　aim　then；　and　pray　to　Lycian
Apollo；　the　famous　archer；　vow　that　when　you　get　home　to　your　strong
city　of　Zelea　you　will　offer　a　hecatomb　of　firstling　lambs　in　his
honour。〃
　　His　fool's　heart　was　persuaded；　and　he　took　his　bow　from　its　case。
This　bow　was　made　from　the　horns　of　a　wild　ibex　which　he　had　killed　as
it　was　bounding　from　a　rock；　he　had　stalked　it；　and　it　had　fallen　as
the　arrow　struck　it　to　the　heart。　Its　horns　were　sixteen　palms　long；
and　a　worker　in　horn　had　made　them　into　a　bow；　smoothing　them　well
down；　and　giving　them　tips　of　gold。　When　Pandarus　had　strung　his　bow
he　laid　it　carefully　on　the　ground；　and　his　brave　followers　held　their
shields　before　him　lest　the　Achaeans　should　set　upon　him　before　he　had
shot　Menelaus。　Then　he　opened　the　lid　of　his　quiver　and　took　out　a
winged　arrow　that　had　yet　been　shot；　fraught　with　the　pangs　of
death。　He　laid　the　arrow　on　the　string　and　prayed　to　Lycian　Apollo；
the　famous　archer；　vowing　that　when　he　got　home　to　his　strong　city
of　Zelea　he　would　offer　a　hecatomb　of　firstling　lambs　in　his　honour。
He　laid　the　notch　of　the　arrow　on　the　oxhide　bowstring；　and　drew
both　notch　and　string　to　his　breast　till　the　arrow…head　was　near　the
bow；　then　when　the　bow　was　arched　into　a　half…circle　he　let　fly；　and
the　bow　twanged；　and　the　string　sang　as　the　arrow　flew　gladly　on
over　the　heads　of　the　throng。
　　But　the　blessed　gods　did　not　forget　thee；　O　Menelaus；　and　Jove's
daughter；　driver　of　the　spoil；　was　the　first　to　stand　before　thee
and　ward　off　the　piercing　arrow。　She　turned　it　from　his　skin　as　a
mother　whisks　a　fly　from　off　her　child　when　it　is　sleeping　sweetly；
she　guided　it　to　the　part　where　the　golden　buckles　of　the　belt　that
passed　over　his　double　cuirass　were　fastened；　so　the　arrow　struck
the　belt　that　went　tightly　round　him。　It　went　right　through　this　and
through　the　cuirass　of　cunning　workmanship；　it　also　pierced　the　belt
beneath　it；　which　he　wore　next　his　skin　to　keep　out　darts　or　arrows；
it　was　this　that　served　him　in　the　best　stead；　nevertheless　the
arrow　went　through　it　and　grazed　the　top　of　the　skin；　so　that　blood
began　flowing　from　the　wound。
　　As　when　some　woman　of　Meonia　or　Caria　strains　purple　dye　on　to　a
piece　of　ivory　that　is　to　be　the　cheek…piece　of　a　horse；　and　is　to
be　laid　up　in　a　treasure　house…　many　a　knight　is　fain　to　bear　it；
but　the　king　keeps　it　as　an　ornament　of　which　both　horse　and　driver
may　be　proud…　even　so；　O　Menelaus；　were　your　shapely　thighs　and　your
legs　down　to　your　fair　ancles　stained　with　blood。
　　When　King　Agamemnon　saw　the　blood　flowing　from　the　wound　he　was
afraid；　and　so　was　brave　Menelaus　himself　till　he　saw　that　the　barbs
of　the　arrow　and　the　thread　that　bound　the　arrow…head　to　the　shaft
were　still　outside　the　wound。　Then　he　took　heart；　but　Agamemnon　heaved
a　deep　sigh　as　he　held　Menelaus's　hand　in　his　own；　and　his　comrades
made　moan　in　concert。　〃Dear　brother；　〃he　cried；　〃I　have　been　the　death
of　you　in　pledging　this　covenant　and　letting　you　come　forward　as　our
champion。　The　Trojans　have　trampled　on　their　oaths　and　have　wounded
you；　nevertheless　the　oath；　the　blood　of　lambs；　the　drink…offerings
and　the　right　hands　of　fellowship　in　which　have　put　our　trust　shall
not　be　vain。　If　he　that　rules　Olympus　fulfil　it　not　here　and　now；
he。　will　yet　fulfil　it　hereafter；　and　they　shall　pay　dearly　with　their
lives　and　with　their　wives　and　children。　The　day　will　surely　come　when
mighty　Ilius　shall　be　laid　low；　with　Priam　and　Priam's　people；　when
the　son　of　Saturn　from　his　high　throne　shall　overshadow　them　with
his　awful　aegis　in　punishment　of　their　present　treachery。　This　shall
surely　be；　but　how；　Menelaus；　shall　I　mourn　you；　if　it　be　your　lot　now
to　die？　I　should　return　to　Argos　as　a　by…word；　for　the　Achaeans　will
at　once　go　home。　We　shall　leave　Priam　and　the　Trojans　the　glory　of
still　keeping　Helen；　and　the　earth　will　rot　your　bones　as　you　lie　here
at　Troy　with　your　purpose　not　fulfilled。　Then　shall　some　braggart
Trojan　leap　upon　your　tomb　and　say；　'Ever　thus　may　Agamemnon　wreak　his
vengeance；　he　brought　his　army　in　vain；　he　is　gone　home　to　his　own
land　with　empty　ships；　and　has　left　Menelaus　behind　him。'　Thus　will
one　of　them　say；　and　may　the　earth　then　swallow　me。〃
　　But　Menelaus　reassured　him　and　said；　〃Take　heart；　and　do　not　alarm
the　people；　the　arrow　has　not　struck　me　in　a　mortal　part；　for　my　outer
belt　of　burnished　metal　first　stayed　it；　and　under　this　my　cuirass　and
the　belt　of　mail　which　the　bronze…smiths　made　me。〃
　　And　Agamemnon　answered；　〃I　trust；　dear　Menelaus；　that　it　may　be　even
so；　but　the　surgeon　shall　examine　your　wound　and　lay　herbs　upon　it
to　relieve　your　pain。〃
　　He　then　said　to　Talthybius；　〃Talthybius；　tell　Machaon；　son　to　the
great　physician；　Aesculapius；　to　come　and　see　Menelaus　immediately。
Some　Trojan　or　Lycian　archer　has　wounded　him　with　an　arrow　to　our
dismay；　and　to　his　own　great　glory。〃
　　Talthybius　did　as　he　was　told；　and　went　about　the　host　trying　to
find　Machaon。　Presently　he　found　standing　amid　the　brave　warriors
who　had　followed　him　from　Tricca；　thereon　he　went　up　to　him　and
said；　〃Son　of　Aesculap