the iliad(伊利亚特)-第39章

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driven　thither；　should　some　other　god　rouse　the　Trojans。〃
　　Diomed　knew　that　it　was　the　goddess；　and　at　once　sprang　upon　the
horses。　Ulysses　beat　them　with　his　bow　and　they　flew　onward　to　the
ships　of　the　Achaeans。
　　But　Apollo　kept　no　blind　look…out　when　he　saw　Minerva　with　the　son
of　Tydeus。　He　was　angry　with　her；　and　coming　to　the　host　of　the
Trojans　he　roused　Hippocoon；　a　counsellor　of　the　Thracians　and　a　noble
kinsman　of　Rhesus。　He　started　up　out　of　his　sleep　and　saw　that　the
horses　were　no　longer　in　their　place；　and　that　the　men　were　gasping　in
their　death…agony；　on　this　he　groaned　aloud；　and　called　upon　his
friend　by　name。　Then　the　whole　Trojan　camp　was　in　an　uproar　as　the
people　kept　hurrying　together；　and　they　marvelled　at　the　deeds　of
the　heroes　who　had　now　got　away　towards　the　ships。
　　When　they　reached　the　place　where　they　had　killed　Hector's　scout；
Ulysses　stayed　his　horses；　and　the　son　of　Tydeus；　leaping　to　the
ground；　placed　the　blood…stained　spoils　in　the　hands　of　Ulysses　and
remounted：　then　he　lashed　the　horses　onwards；　and　they　flew　forward
nothing　loth　towards　the　ships　as　though　of　their　own　free　will。
Nestor　was　first　to　hear　the　tramp　of　their　feet。　〃My　friends；〃　said
he；　〃princes　and　counsellors　of　the　Argives；　shall　I　guess　right　or
wrong？…　but　I　must　say　what　I　think：　there　is　a　sound　in　my　ears　as　of
the　tramp　of　horses。　I　hope　it　may　Diomed　and　Ulysses　driving　in
horses　from　the　Trojans；　but　I　much　fear　that　the　bravest　of　the
Argives　may　have　come　to　some　harm　at　their　hands。〃
　　He　had　hardly　done　speaking　when　the　two　men　came　in　and　dismounted；
whereon　the　others　shook　hands　right　gladly　with　them　and
congratulated　them。　Nestor　knight　of　Gerene　was　first　to　question
them。　〃Tell　me；〃　said　he；　〃renowned　Ulysses；　how　did　you　two　come　by
these　horses？　Did　you　steal　in　among　the　Trojan　forces；　or　did　some
god　meet　you　and　give　them　to　you？　They　are　like　sunbeams。　I　am　well
conversant　with　the　Trojans；　for　old　warrior　though　I　am　I　never
hold　back　by　the　ships；　but　I　never　yet　saw　or　heard　of　such　horses　as
these　are。　Surely　some　god　must　have　met　you　and　given　them　to　you；
for　you　are　both　of　dear　to　Jove；　and　to　Jove's　daughter　Minerva。〃
　　And　Ulysses　answered；　〃Nestor　son　of　Neleus；　honour　to　the　Achaean
name；　heaven；　if　it　so　will；　can　give　us　even　better　horses　than
these；　for　the　gods　are　far　mightier　than　we　are。　These　horses；
however；　about　which　you　ask　me；　are　freshly　come　from　Thrace。
Diomed　killed　their　king　with　the　twelve　bravest　of　his　companions。
Hard　by　the　ships　we　took　a　thirteenth　man…　a　scout　whom　Hector　and
the　other　Trojans　had　sent　as　a　spy　upon　our　ships。〃
　　He　laughed　as　he　spoke　and　drove　the　horses　over　the　ditch；　while
the　other　Achaeans　followed　him　gladly。　When　they　reached　the　strongly
built　quarters　of　the　son　of　Tydeus；　they　tied　the　horses　with
thongs　of　leather　to　the　manger；　where　the　steeds　of　Diomed　stood
eating　their　sweet　corn；　but　Ulysses　hung　the　blood…stained　spoils
of　Dolon　at　the　stern　of　his　ship；　that　they　might　prepare　a　sacred
offering　to　Minerva。　As　for　themselves；　they　went　into　the　sea　and
washed　the　sweat　from　their　bodies；　and　from　their　necks　and　thighs。
When　the　sea…water　had　taken　all　the　sweat　from　off　them；　and　had
refreshed　them；　they　went　into　the　baths　and　washed　themselves。
After　they　had　so　done　and　had　anointed　themselves　with　oil；　they
sat　down　to　table；　and　drawing　from　a　full　mixing…bowl；　made　a
drink…offering　of　wine　to　Minerva。



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　BOOK　XI

　　AND　now　as　Dawn　rose　from　her　couch　beside　Tithonus；　harbinger　of
light　alike　to　mortals　and　immortals；　Jove　sent　fierce　Discord　with
the　ensign　of　war　in　her　hands　to　the　ships　of　the　Achaeans。　She
took　her　stand　by　the　huge　black　hull　of　Ulysses'　ship　which　was
middlemost　of　all；　so　that　her　voice　might　carry　farthest　on　either
side；　on　the　one　hand　towards　the　tents　of　Ajax　son　of　Telamon；　and　on
the　other　towards　those　of　Achilles…　for　these　two　heroes；
well…assured　of　their　own　strength；　had　valorously　drawn　up　their
ships　at　the　two　ends　of　the　line。　There　she　took　her　stand；　and
raised　a　cry　both　loud　and　shrill　that　filled　the　Achaeans　with
courage；　giving　them　heart　to　fight　resolutely　and　with　all　their
might；　so　that　they　had　rather　stay　there　and　do　battle　than　go　home
in　their　ships。
　　The　son　of　Atreus　shouted　aloud　and　bade　the　Argives　gird　themselves
for　battle　while　he　put　on　his　armour。　First　he　girded　his　goodly
greaves　about　his　legs；　making　them　fast　with　ankle　clasps　of
silver；　and　about　his　chest　he　set　the　breastplate　which　Cinyras　had
once　given　him　as　a　guest…gift。　It　had　been　noised　abroad　as　far　as
Cyprus　that　the　Achaeans　were　about　to　sail　for　Troy；　and　therefore　he
gave　it　to　the　king。　It　had　ten　courses　of　dark　cyanus；　twelve　of
gold；　and　ten　of　tin。　There　were　serpents　of　cyanus　that　reared
themselves　up　towards　the　neck；　three　upon　either　side；　like　the
rainbows　which　the　son　of　Saturn　has　set　in　heaven　as　a　sign　to　mortal
men。　About　his　shoulders　he　threw　his　sword；　studded　with　bosses　of
gold；　and　the　scabbard　was　of　silver　with　a　chain　of　gold　wherewith　to
hang　it。　He　took　moreover　the　richly…dight　shield　that　covered　his
body　when　he　was　in　battle…　fair　to　see；　with　ten　circles　of　bronze
running　all　round　see；　wit　it。　On　the　body　of　the　shield　there　were
twenty　bosses　of　white　tin；　with　another　of　dark　cyanus　in　the　middle：
this　last　was　made　to　show　a　Gorgon's　head；　fierce　and　grim；　with　Rout
and　Panic　on　either　side。　The　band　for　the　arm　to　go　through　was　of
silver；　on　which　there　was　a　writhing　snake　of　cyanus　with　three　heads
that　sprang　from　a　single　neck；　and　went　in　and　out　among　one　another。
On　his　head　Agamemnon　set　a　helmet；　with　a　peak　before　and　behind；　and
four　plumes　of　horse…hair　that　nodded　menacingly　above　it；　then　he
grasped　two　redoubtable　bronze…shod　spears；　and　the　gleam　of　his
armour　shot　from　him　as　a　flame　into　the　firmament；　while　Juno　and
Minerva　thundered　in　honour　of　the　king　of　rich　Mycene。
　　Every　man　now　left　his　horses　in　charge　of　his　charioteer　to　hold
them　in　readiness　by　the　trench；　while　he　went　into　battle　on　foot
clad　in　full　armour；　and　a　mighty　uproar　rose　on　high　into　the
dawning。　The　chiefs　were　armed　and　at　the　trench　before　the　horses　got
there；　but　these　came　up　presently。　The　son　of　Saturn　sent　a　portent
of　evil　sound　about　their　host；　and　the　dew　fell　red　with　blood；　for
he　was　about　to　send　many　a　brave　man　hurrying　down　to　Hades。
　　The　Trojans；　on　the　other　side　upon　the　rising　slope　of　the　plain；
were　gathered　round　great　Hector；　noble　Polydamas；　Aeneas　who　was
honoured　by　the　Trojans　like　an　immortal；　and　the　three　sons　of
Antenor；　Polybus；　Agenor；　and　young　Acamas　beauteous　as　a　god。
Hector's　round　shield　showed　in　the　front　rank；　and　as　some　baneful
star　that　shines　for　a　moment　through　a　rent　in　the　clouds　and　is
again　hidden　beneath　them；　even　so　was　Hector　now　seen　in　the　front
ranks　and　now　again　in　the　hindermost；　and　his　bronze　armour　gleamed
like　the　lightning　of　aegis…bearing　Jove。
　　And　now　as　a　band　of　reapers　mow　swathes　of　wheat　or　barley　upon　a
rich　man's　land；　and　the　sheaves　fall　thick　before　them；　even　so　did
the　Trojans　and　Achaeans　fall　upon　one　another；　they　were　in　no　mood
for　yielding　but　fought　like　wolves；　and　neither　side　got　the　better
of　the　other。　Discord　was　glad　as　she　beheld　them；　for　she　was　the
only　god　that　went　among　them；　the　others　were　not　there；　but　stayed
quietly　each　in　his　own　home　among　the　dells　and　valleys　of　Olympus。
All　of　them　blamed　the　son　of　Saturn　for　wanting　to　Live　victory　to
the　Trojans；　but　father　Jove　heeded　them　not：　he　held　aloof　from
all；　and　sat　apart　in　his　all…glorious　majesty；　looking　down　upon
the　city　of　the　Trojans；　the　ships　of　the　Achaeans；　the　gleam　of
bronze；　and　alike　upon　the　slayers　and　on　the　slain。
　　Now　so　long　as　the　day　waxed　and　it　was　still　morning；　their　darts
rained　thick　on　one　another　and　the　people　perished；　but　as　the　hour
drew　nigh　when　a　woodman　working　in　some　mountain　forest　will　get
his　midday　meal…　for　he　has　felled　till　his　hands　are　weary；　he　is
tired　out；　and　must　now　ha