the iliad(伊利亚特)-第31章

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〃Trojans；　Dardanians；　and　allies。　I　deemed　but　now　that　I　should
destroy　the　ships　and　all　the　Achaeans　with　them　ere　I　went　back　to
Ilius；　but　darkness　came　on　too　soon。　It　was　this　alone　that　saved
them　and　their　ships　upon　the　seashore。　Now；　therefore；　let　us　obey
the　behests　of　night；　and　prepare　our　suppers。　Take　your　horses　out　of
their　chariots　and　give　them　their　feeds　of　corn；　then　make　speed　to
bring　sheep　and　cattle　from　the　city；　bring　wine　also　and　corn　for
your　horses　and　gather　much　wood；　that　from　dark　till　dawn　we　may　burn
watchfires　whose　flare　may　reach　to　heaven。　For　the　Achaeans　may　try
to　fly　beyond　the　sea　by　night；　and　they　must　not　embark　scatheless
and　unmolested；　many　a　man　among　them　must　take　a　dart　with　him　to
nurse　at　home；　hit　with　spear　or　arrow　as　he　is　leaping　on　board　his
ship；　that　others　may　fear　to　bring　war　and　weeping　upon　the
Trojans。　Moreover　let　the　heralds　tell　it　about　the　city　that　the
growing　youths　and　grey…bearded　men　are　to　camp　upon　its
heaven…built　walls。　Let　the　women　each　of　them　light　a　great　fire　in
her　house；　and　let　watch　be　safely　kept　lest　the　town　be　entered　by
surprise　while　the　host　is　outside。　See　to　it；　brave　Trojans；　as　I
have　said；　and　let　this　suffice　for　the　moment；　at　daybreak　I　will
instruct　you　further。　I　pray　in　hope　to　Jove　and　to　the　gods　that　we
may　then　drive　those　fate…sped　hounds　from　our　land；　for　'tis　the
fates　that　have　borne　them　and　their　ships　hither。　This　night；
therefore；　let　us　keep　watch；　but　with　early　morning　let　us　put　on　our
armour　and　rouse　fierce　war　at　the　ships　of　the　Achaeans；　I　shall　then
know　whether　brave　Diomed　the　son　of　Tydeus　will　drive　me　back　from
the　ships　to　the　wall；　or　whether　I　shall　myself　slay　him　and　carry
off　his　bloodstained　spoils。　To…morrow　let　him　show　his　mettle；
abide　my　spear　if　he　dare。　I　ween　that　at　break　of　day；　he　shall　be
among　the　first　to　fall　and　many　another　of　his　comrades　round　him。
Would　that　I　were　as　sure　of　being　immortal　and　never　growing　old；　and
of　being　worshipped　like　Minerva　and　Apollo；　as　I　am　that　this　day
will　bring　evil　to　the　Argives。〃
　　Thus　spoke　Hector　and　the　Trojans　shouted　applause。　They　took
their　sweating　steeds　from　under　the　yoke；　and　made　them　fast　each
by　his　own　chariot。　They　made　haste　to　bring　sheep　and　cattle　from　the
city；　they　brought　wine　also　and　corn　from　their　houses　and　gathered
much　wood。　They　then　offered　unblemished　hecatombs　to　the　immortals；
and　the　wind　carried　the　sweet　savour　of　sacrifice　to　heaven…　but
the　blessed　gods　partook　not　thereof；　for　they　bitterly　hated　Ilius
with　Priam　and　Priam's　people。　Thus　high　in　hope　they　sat　through
the　livelong　night　by　the　highways　of　war；　and　many　a　watchfire　did
they　kindle。　As　when　the　stars　shine　clear；　and　the　moon　is　bright…
there　is　not　a　breath　of　air；　not　a　peak　nor　glade　nor　jutting
headland　but　it　stands　out　in　the　ineffable　radiance　that　breaks
from　the　serene　of　heaven；　the　stars　can　all　of　them　be　told　and　the
heart　of　the　shepherd　is　glad…　even　thus　shone　the　watchfires　of　the
Trojans　before　Ilius　midway　between　the　ships　and　the　river　Xanthus。　A
thousand　camp…fires　gleamed　upon　the　plain；　and　in　the　glow　of　each
there　sat　fifty　men；　while　the　horses；　champing　oats　and　corn　beside
their　chariots；　waited　till　dawn　should　come。


　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　BOOK　IX

　　THUS　did　the　Trojans　watch。　But　Panic；　comrade　of　blood…stained
Rout；　had　taken　fast　hold　of　the　Achaeans　and　their　princes　were　all
of　them　in　despair。　As　when　the　two　winds　that　blow　from　Thrace…　the
north　and　the　northwest…　spring　up　of　a　sudden　and　rouse　the　fury　of
the　main…　in　a　moment　the　dark　waves　uprear　their　heads　and　scatter
their　sea…wrack　in　all　directions…　even　thus　troubled　were　the
hearts　of　the　Achaeans。
　　The　son　of　Atreus　in　dismay　bade　the　heralds　call　the　people　to　a
council　man　by　man；　but　not　to　cry　the　matter　aloud；　he　made　haste
also　himself　to　call　them；　and　they　sat　sorry　at　heart　in　their
assembly。　Agamemnon　shed　tears　as　it　were　a　running　stream　or　cataract
on　the　side　of　some　sheer　cliff；　and　thus；　with　many　a　heavy　sigh　he
spoke　to　the　Achaeans。　〃My　friends；〃　said　he；　〃princes　and　councillors
Of　the　Argives；　the　hand　of　heaven　has　been　laid　heavily　upon　me。
Cruel　Jove　gave　me　his　solemn　promise　that　I　should　sack　the　city　of
Troy　before　returning；　but　he　has　played　me　false；　and　is　now
bidding　me　go　ingloriously　back　to　Argos　with　the　loss　of　much　people。
Such　is　the　will　of　Jove；　who　has　laid　many　a　proud　city　in　the　dust
as　he　will　yet　lay　others；　for　his　power　is　above　all。　Now；　therefore；
let　us　all　do　as　I　say　and　sail　back　to　our　own　country；　for　we
shall　not　take　Troy。〃
　　Thus　he　spoke；　and　the　sons　of　the　Achaeans　for　a　long　while　sat
sorrowful　there；　but　they　all　held　their　peace；　till　at　last　Diomed　of
the　loud　battle…cry　made　answer　saying；　〃Son　of　Atreus；　I　will　chide
your　folly；　as　is　my　right　in　council。　Be　not　then　aggrieved　that　I
should　do　so。　In　the　first　place　you　attacked　me　before　all　the
Danaans　and　said　that　I　was　a　coward　and　no　soldier。　The　Argives　young
and　old　know　that　you　did　so。　But　the　son　of　scheming　Saturn　endowed
you　by　halves　only。　He　gave　you　honour　as　the　chief　ruler　over　us；　but
valour；　which　is　the　highest　both　right　and　might　he　did　not　give　you。
Sir；　think　you　that　the　sons　of　the　Achaeans　are　indeed　as　unwarlike
and　cowardly　as　you　say　they　are？　If　your　own　mind　is　set　upon　going
home…　go…　the　way　is　open　to　you；　the　many　ships　that　followed　you
from　Mycene　stand　ranged　upon　the　seashore；　but　the　rest　of　us　stay
here　till　we　have　sacked　Troy。　Nay　though　these　too　should　turn
homeward　with　their　ships；　Sthenelus　and　myself　will　still　fight　on
till　we　reach　the　goal　of　Ilius；　for　for　heaven　was　with　us　when　we
came。〃
　　The　sons　of　the　Achaeans　shouted　applause　at　the　words　of　Diomed；
and　presently　Nestor　rose　to　speak。　〃Son　of　Tydeus；〃　said　he；　〃in
war　your　prowess　is　beyond　question；　and　in　council　you　excel　all
who　are　of　your　own　years；　no　one　of　the　Achaeans　can　make　light　of
what　you　say　nor　gainsay　it；　but　you　have　not　yet　come　to　the　end　of
the　whole　matter。　You　are　still　young…　you　might　be　the　youngest　of　my
own　children…　still　you　have　spoken　wisely　and　have　counselled　the
chief　of　the　Achaeans　not　without　discretion；　nevertheless　I　am
older　than　you　and　I　will　tell　you　every〃　thing；　therefore　let　no　man；
not　even　King　Agamemnon；　disregard　my　saying；　for　he　that　foments
civil　discord　is　a　clanless；　hearthless　outlaw。
　　〃Now；　however；　let　us　obey　the　behests　of　night　and　get　our　suppers；
but　let　the　sentinels　every　man　of　them　camp　by　the　trench　that　is
without　the　wall。　I　am　giving　these　instructions　to　the　young　men；
when　they　have　been　attended　to；　do　you；　son　of　Atreus；　give　your
orders；　for　you　are　the　most　royal　among　us　all。　Prepare　a　feast　for
your　councillors；　it　is　right　and　reasonable　that　you　should　do　so；
there　is　abundance　of　wine　in　your　tents；　which　the　ships　of　the
Achaeans　bring　from　Thrace　daily。　You　have　everything　at　your　disposal
wherewith　to　entertain　guests；　and　you　have　many　subjects。　When　many
are　got　together；　you　can　be　guided　by　him　whose　counsel　is　wisest…
and　sorely　do　we　need　shrewd　and　prudent　counsel；　for　the　foe　has
lit　his　watchfires　hard　by　our　ships。　Who　can　be　other　than
dismayed？　This　night　will　either　be　the　ruin　of　our　host；　or　save　it。〃
　　Thus　did　he　speak；　and　they　did　even　as　he　had　said。　The　sentinels
went　out　in　their　armour　under　command　of　Nestor's　son　Thrasymedes；
a　captain　of　the　host；　and　of　the　bold　warriors　Ascalaphus　and
Ialmenus：　there　were　also　Meriones；　Aphareus　and　Deipyrus；　and　the　son
of　Creion；　noble　Lycomedes。　There　were　seven　captains　of　the
sentinels；　and　with　each　there　went　a　hundred　youths　armed　with　long
spears：　they　took　their　places　midway　between　the　trench　and　the　wall；
and　when　they　had　done　so　they　lit　their　fires　and　got　every　man　his
supper。
　　The　son　of　Atreus　then　bade　many　councillors　of　the　Achaeans　to
his　quarters　prepared　a　great　feast　in　their　honour。　They　laid　their
hands　on　the　good　things　that　were　before　them；　and　as　soon　as　they
had　enough　to　eat　and　dri