the iliad(伊利亚特)-第16章

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belly；　so　that　his　bowels　came　gushing　out　upon　the　ground；　and
darkness　veiled　his　eyes。　As　he　was　leaving　the　body；　Thoas　of　Aetolia
struck　him　in　the　chest　near　the　nipple；　and　the　point　fixed　itself　in
his　lungs。　Thoas　came　close　up　to　him；　pulled　the　spear　out　of　his
chest；　and　then　drawing　his　sword；　smote　him　in　the　middle　of　the
belly　so　that　he　died；　but　he　did　not　strip　him　of　his　armour；　for　his
Thracian　comrades；　men　who　wear　their　hair　in　a　tuft　at　the　top　of
their　heads；　stood　round　the　body　and　kept　him　off　with　their　long
spears　for　all　his　great　stature　and　valour；　so　he　was　driven　back。
Thus　the　two　corpses　lay　stretched　on　earth　near　to　one　another；　the
one　captain　of　the　Thracians　and　the　other　of　the　Epeans；　and　many
another　fell　round　them。
　　And　now　no　man　would　have　made　light　of　the　fighting　if　he　could
have　gone　about　among　it　scatheless　and　unwounded；　with　Minerva
leading　him　by　the　hand；　and　protecting　him　from　the　storm　of　spears
and　arrows。　For　many　Trojans　and　Achaeans　on　that　day　lay　stretched
side　by　side　face　downwards　upon　the　earth。



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　　Then　Pallas　Minerva　put　valour　into　the　heart　of　Diomed；　son　of
Tydeus；　that　he　might　excel　all　the　other　Argives；　and　cover　himself
with　glory。　She　made　a　stream　of　fire　flare　from　his　shield　and　helmet
like　the　star　that　shines　most　brilliantly　in　summer　after　its　bath　in
the　waters　of　Oceanus…　even　such　a　fire　did　she　kindle　upon　his　head
and　shoulders　as　she　bade　him　speed　into　the　thickest　hurly…burly　of
the　fight。
　　Now　there　was　a　certain　rich　and　honourable　man　among　the　Trojans；
priest　of　Vulcan；　and　his　name　was　Dares。　He　had　two　sons；　Phegeus　and
Idaeus；　both　of　them　skilled　in　all　the　arts　of　war。　These　two　came
forward　from　the　main　body　of　Trojans；　and　set　upon　Diomed；　he　being
on　foot；　while　they　fought　from　their　chariot。　When　they　were　close　up
to　one　another；　Phegeus　took　aim　first；　but　his　spear　went　over
Diomed's　left　shoulder　without　hitting　him。　Diomed　then　threw；　and　his
spear　sped　not　in　vain；　for　it　hit　Phegeus　on　the　breast　near　the
nipple；　and　he　fell　from　his　chariot。　Idaeus　did　not　dare　to
bestride　his　brother's　body；　but　sprang　from　the　chariot　and　took　to
flight；　or　he　would　have　shared　his　brother's　fate；　whereon　Vulcan
saved　him　by　wrapping　him　in　a　cloud　of　darkness；　that　his　old
father　might　not　be　utterly　overwhelmed　with　grief；　but　the　son　of
Tydeus　drove　off　with　the　horses；　and　bade　his　followers　take　them
to　the　ships。　The　Trojans　were　scared　when　they　saw　the　two　sons　of
Dares；　one　of　them　in　fright　and　the　other　lying　dead　by　his
chariot。　Minerva；　therefore；　took　Mars　by　the　hand　and　said；　〃Mars；
Mars；　bane　of　men；　bloodstained　stormer　of　cities；　may　we　not　now
leave　the　Trojans　and　Achaeans　to　fight　it　out；　and　see　to　which　of
the　two　Jove　will　vouchsafe　the　victory？　Let　us　go　away；　and　thus
avoid　his　anger。〃
　　So　saying；　she　drew　Mars　out　of　the　battle；　and　set　him　down　upon
the　steep　banks　of　the　Scamander。　Upon　this　the　Danaans　drove　the
Trojans　back；　and　each　one　of　their　chieftains　killed　his　man。　First
King　Agamemnon　flung　mighty　Odius；　captain　of　the　Halizoni；　from　his
chariot。　The　spear　of　Agamemnon　caught　him　on　the　broad　of　his　back；
just　as　he　was　turning　in　flight；　it　struck　him　between　the
shoulders　and　went　right　through　his　chest；　and　his　armour　rang
rattling　round　him　as　he　fell　heavily　to　the　ground。
　　Then　Idomeneus　killed　Phaesus；　son　of　Borus　the　Meonian；　who　had
come　from　Varne。　Mighty　Idomeneus　speared　him　on　the　right　shoulder　as
he　was　mounting　his　chariot；　and　the　darkness　of　death　enshrouded
him　as　he　fell　heavily　from　the　car。
　　The　squires　of　Idomeneus　spoiled　him　of　his　armour；　while
Menelaus；　son　of　Atreus；　killed　Scamandrius　the　son　of　Strophius；　a
mighty　huntsman　and　keen　lover　of　the　chase。　Diana　herself　had
taught　him　how　to　kill　every　kind　of　wild　creature　that　is　bred　in
mountain　forests；　but　neither　she　nor　his　famed　skill　in　archery　could
now　save　him；　for　the　spear　of　Menelaus　struck　him　in　the　back　as　he
was　flying；　it　struck　him　between　the　shoulders　and　went　right　through
his　chest；　so　that　he　fell　headlong　and　his　armour　rang　rattling　round
him。
　　Meriones　then　killed　Phereclus　the　son　of　Tecton；　who　was　the　son　of
Hermon；　a　man　whose　hand　was　skilled　in　all　manner　of　cunning
workmanship；　for　Pallas　Minerva　had　dearly　loved　him。　He　it　was　that
made　the　ships　for　Alexandrus；　which　were　the　beginning　of　all
mischief；　and　brought　evil　alike　both　on　the　Trojans　and　on　Alexandrus
himself；　for　he　heeded　not　the　decrees　of　heaven。　Meriones　overtook
him　as　he　was　flying；　and　struck　him　on　the　right　buttock。　The　point
of　the　spear　went　through　the　bone　into　the　bladder；　and　death　came
upon　him　as　he　cried　aloud　and　fell　forward　on　his　knees。
　　Meges；　moreover；　slew　Pedaeus；　son　of　Antenor；　who；　though　he　was
a　bastard；　had　been　brought　up　by　Theano　as　one　of　her　own　children；
for　the　love　she　bore　her　husband。　The　son　of　Phyleus　got　close　up
to　him　and　drove　a　spear　into　the　nape　of　his　neck：　it　went　under
his　tongue　all　among　his　teeth；　so　he　bit　the　cold　bronze；　and　fell
dead　in　the　dust。
　　And　Eurypylus；　son　of　Euaemon；　killed　Hypsenor；　the　son　of　noble
Dolopion；　who　had　been　made　priest　of　the　river　Scamander；　and　was
honoured　among　the　people　as　though　he　were　a　god。　Eurypylus　gave
him　chase　as　he　was　flying　before　him；　smote　him　with　his　sword　upon
the　arm；　and　lopped　his　strong　hand　from　off　it。　The　bloody　hand
fell　to　the　ground；　and　the　shades　of　death；　with　fate　that　no　man　can
withstand；　came　over　his　eyes。
　　Thus　furiously　did　the　battle　rage　between　them。　As　for　the　son　of
Tydeus；　you　could　not　say　whether　he　was　more　among　the　Achaeans　or
the　Trojans。　He　rushed　across　the　plain　like　a　winter　torrent　that　has
burst　its　barrier　in　full　flood；　no　dykes；　no　walls　of　fruitful
vineyards　can　embank　it　when　it　is　swollen　with　rain　from　heaven；
but　in　a　moment　it　comes　tearing　onward；　and　lays　many　a　field　waste
that　many　a　strong　man　hand　has　reclaimed…　even　so　were　the　dense
phalanxes　of　the　Trojans　driven　in　rout　by　the　son　of　Tydeus；　and　many
though　they　were；　they　dared　not　abide　his　onslaught。
　　Now　when　the　son　of　Lycaon　saw　him　scouring　the　plain　and　driving
the　Trojans　pell…mell　before　him；　he　aimed　an　arrow　and　hit　the
front　part　of　his　cuirass　near　the　shoulder：　the　arrow　went　right
through　the　metal　and　pierced　the　flesh；　so　that　the　cuirass　was
covered　with　blood。　On　this　the　son　of　Lycaon　shouted　in　triumph；
〃Knights　Trojans；　come　on；　the　bravest　of　the　Achaeans　is　wounded；　and
he　will　not　hold　out　much　longer　if　King　Apollo　was　indeed　with　me
when　I　sped　from　Lycia　hither。〃
　　Thus　did　he　vaunt；　but　his　arrow　had　not　killed　Diomed；　who　withdrew
and　made　for　the　chariot　and　horses　of　Sthenelus；　the　son　of　Capaneus。
〃Dear　son　of　Capaneus；〃　said　he；　〃come　down　from　your　chariot；　and
draw　the　arrow　out　of　my　shoulder。〃
　　Sthenelus　sprang　from　his　chariot；　and　drew　the　arrow　from　the
wound；　whereon　the　blood　came　spouting　out　through　the　hole　that　had
been　made　in　his　shirt。　Then　Diomed　prayed；　saying；　〃Hear　me；　daughter
of　aegis…bearing　Jove；　unweariable；　if　ever　you　loved　my　father　well
and　stood　by　him　in　the　thick　of　a　fight；　do　the　like　now　by　me；　grant
me　to　come　within　a　spear's　throw　of　that　man　and　kill　him。　He　has
been　too　quick　for　me　and　has　wounded　me；　and　now　he　is　boasting
that　I　shall　not　see　the　light　of　the　sun　much　longer。〃
　　Thus　he　prayed；　and　Pallas　Minerva　heard　him；　she　made　his　limbs
supple　and　quickened　his　hands　and　his　feet。　Then　she　went　up　close　to
him　and　said；　〃Fear　not；　Diomed；　to　do　battle　with　the　Trojans；　for
I　have　set　in　your　heart　the　spirit　of　your　knightly　father　Tydeus。
Moreover；　I　have　withdrawn　the　veil　from　your　eyes；　that　you　know　gods
and　men　apart。　If；　then；　any　other　god　comes　here　and　offers　you
battle；　do　not　fight　him；　but　should　Jove's　daughter　Venus　come；
strike　her　with　your　spear　and　wound　her。〃
　　When　she　had　said　this　Minerva　went　away；　and　the　son　of　Tydeus
again　took　his　place　among　the　foremost　fighters；　three　times　more
fierce　even　than　he　had　been　befor