the iliad(伊利亚特)-第60章

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and　there：　Jove；　however；　who　kept　watch　over　Hector；　had　his　eyes
on　Teucer；　and　deprived　him　of　his　triumph；　by　breaking　his
bowstring　for　him　just　as　he　was　drawing　it　and　about　to　take　his　aim；
on　this　the　arrow　went　astray　and　the　bow　fell　from　his　hands。
Teucer　shook　with　anger　and　said　to　his　brother；　〃Alas；　see　how　heaven
thwarts　us　in　all　we　do；　it　has　broken　my　bowstring　and　snatched　the
bow　from　my　hand；　though　I　strung　it　this　selfsame　morning　that　it
might　serve　me　for　many　an　arrow。〃
　　Ajax　son　of　Telamon　answered；　〃My　good　fellow；　let　your　bow　and　your
arrows　be；　for　Jove　has　made　them　useless　in　order　to　spite　the
Danaans。　Take　your　spear；　lay　your　shield　upon　your　shoulder；　and　both
fight　the　Trojans　yourself　and　urge　others　to　do　so。　They　may　be
successful　for　the　moment　but　if　we　fight　as　we　ought　they　will　find
it　a　hard　matter　to　take　the　ships。〃
　　Teucer　then　took　his　bow　and　put　it　by　in　his　tent。　He　hung　a　shield
four　hides　thick　about　his　shoulders；　and　on　his　comely　head　he　set
his　helmet　well　wrought　with　a　crest　of　horse…hair　that　nodded
menacingly　above　it；　he　grasped　his　redoubtable　bronze…shod　spear；　and
forthwith　he　was　by　the　side　of　Ajax。
　　When　Hector　saw　that　Teucer's　bow　was　of　no　more　use　to　him；　he
shouted　out　to　the　Trojans　and　Lycians；　〃Trojans；　Lycians；　and
Dardanians　good　in　close　fight；　be　men；　my　friends；　and　show　your
mettle　here　at　the　ships；　for　I　see　the　weapon　of　one　of　their
chieftains　made　useless　by　the　hand　of　Jove。　It　is　easy　to　see　when
Jove　is　helping　people　and　means　to　help　them　still　further；　or
again　when　he　is　bringing　them　down　and　will　do　nothing　for　them；　he
is　now　on　our　side；　and　is　going　against　the　Argives。　Therefore
swarm　round　the　ships　and　fight。　If　any　of　you　is　struck　by　spear　or
sword　and　loses　his　life；　let　him　die；　he　dies　with　honour　who　dies
fighting　for　his　country；　and　he　will　leave　his　wife　and　children　safe
behind　him；　with　his　house　and　allotment　unplundered　if　only　the
Achaeans　can　be　driven　back　to　their　own　land；　they　and　their　ships。〃
　　With　these　words　he　put　heart　and　soul　into　them　all。　Ajax　on　the
other　side　exhorted　his　comrades　saying；　〃Shame　on　you　Argives；　we　are
now　utterly　undone；　unless　we　can　save　ourselves　by　driving　the
enemy　from　our　ships。　Do　you　think；　if　Hector　takes　them；　that　you
will　be　able　to　get　home　by　land？　Can　you　not　hear　him　cheering　on　his
whole　host　to　fire　our　fleet；　and　bidding　them　remember　that　they
are　not　at　a　dance　but　in　battle？　Our　only　course　is　to　fight　them
with　might　and　main；　we　had　better　chance　it；　life　or　death；　once
for　all；　than　fight　long　and　without　issue　hemmed　in　at　our　ships　by
worse　men　than　ourselves。〃
　　With　these　words　he　put　life　and　soul　into　them　all。　Hector　then
killed　Schedius　son　of　Perimedes；　leader　of　the　Phoceans；　and　Ajax
killed　Laodamas　captain　of　foot　soldiers　and　son　to　Antenor。　Polydamas
killed　Otus　of　Cyllene　a　comrade　of　the　son　of　Phyleus　and　chief　of
the　proud　Epeans。　When　Meges　saw　this　he　sprang　upon　him；　but
Polydamas　crouched　down；　and　he　missed　him；　for　Apollo　would　not
suffer　the　son　of　Panthous　to　fall　in　battle；　but　the　spear　hit
Croesmus　in　the　middle　of　his　chest；　whereon　he　fell　heavily　to　the
ground；　and　Meges　stripped　him　of　his　armour。　At　that　moment　the
valiant　soldier　Dolops　son　of　Lampus　sprang　upon　Lampus　was　son　of
Laomedon　and　for　his　valour；　while　his　son　Dolops　was　versed　in　all
the　ways　of　war。　He　then　struck　the　middle　of　the　son　of　Phyleus'
shield　with　his　spear；　setting　on　him　at　close　quarters；　but　his
good　corslet　made　with　plates　of　metal　saved　him；　Phyleus　had
brought　it　from　Ephyra　and　the　river　Selleis；　where　his　host；　King
Euphetes；　had　given　it　him　to　wear　in　battle　and　protect　him。　It　now
served　to　save　the　life　of　his　son。　Then　Meges　struck　the　topmost
crest　of　Dolops's　bronze　helmet　with　his　spear　and　tore　away　its　plume
of　horse…hair；　so　that　all　newly　dyed　with　scarlet　as　it　was　it
tumbled　down　into　the　dust。　While　he　was　still　fighting　and
confident　of　victory；　Menelaus　came　up　to　help　Meges；　and　got　by　the
side　of　Dolops　unperceived；　he　then　speared　him　in　the　shoulder；
from　behind；　and　the　point；　driven　so　furiously；　went　through　into　his
chest；　whereon　he　fell　headlong。　The　two　then　made　towards　him　to
strip　him　of　his　armour；　but　Hector　called　on　all　his　brothers　for
help；　and　he　especially　upbraided　brave　Melanippus　son　of　Hiketaon；
who　erewhile　used　to　pasture　his　herds　of　cattle　in　Percote　before　the
war　broke　out；　but　when　the　ships　of　the　Danaans　came；　he　went　back　to
Ilius；　where　he　was　eminent　among　the　Trojans；　and　lived　near　Priam
who　treated　him　as　one　of　his　own　sons。　Hector　now　rebuked　him　and
said；　〃Why；　Melanippus；　are　we　thus　remiss？　do　you　take　no　note　of　the
death　of　your　kinsman；　and　do　you　not　see　how　they　are　trying　to
take　Dolops's　armour？　Follow　me；　there　must　be　no　fighting　the　Argives
from　a　distance　now；　but　we　must　do　so　in　close　combat　till　either
we　kill　them　or　they　take　the　high　wall　of　Ilius　and　slay　her　people。〃
　　He　led　on　as　he　spoke；　and　the　hero　Melanippus　followed　after。
Meanwhile　Ajax　son　of　Telamon　was　cheering　on　the　Argives。　〃My
friends；〃　he　cried；　〃be　men；　and　fear　dishonour；　quit　yourselves　in
battle　so　as　to　win　respect　from　one　another。　Men　who　respect　each
other's　good　opinion　are　less　likely　to　be　killed　than　those　who　do
not；　but　in　flight　there　is　neither　gain　nor　glory。〃
　　Thus　did　he　exhort　men　who　were　already　bent　upon　driving　back　the
Trojans。　They　laid　his　words　to　heart　and　hedged　the　ships　as　with　a
wall　of　bronze；　while　Jove　urged　on　the　Trojans。　Menelaus　of　the
loud　battle…cry　urged　Antilochus　on。　〃Antilochus；〃　said　he；　〃you　are
young　and　there　is　none　of　the　Achaeans　more　fleet　of　foot　or　more
valiant　than　you　are。　See　if　you　cannot　spring　upon　some　Trojan　and
kill　him。〃
　　He　hurried　away　when　he　had　thus　spurred　Antilochus；　who　at　once
darted　out　from　the　front　ranks　and　aimed　a　spear；　after　looking
carefully　round　him。　The　Trojans　fell　back　as　he　threw；　and　the　dart
did　not　speed　from　his　hand　without　effect；　for　it　struck　Melanippus
the　proud　son　of　Hiketaon　in　the　breast　by　the　nipple　as　he　was　coming
forward；　and　his　armour　rang　rattling　round　him　as　he　fell　heavily
to　the　ground。　Antilochus　sprang　upon　him　as　a　dog　springs　on　a　fawn
which　a　hunter　has　hit　as　it　was　breaking　away　from　its　covert；　and
killed　it。　Even　so；　O　Melanippus；　did　stalwart　Antilochus　spring
upon　you　to　strip　you　of　your　armour；　but　noble　Hector　marked　him；　and
came　running　up　to　him　through　the　thick　of　the　battle。　Antilochus；
brave　soldier　though　he　was；　would　not　stay　to　face　him；　but　fled　like
some　savage　creature　which　knows　it　has　done　wrong；　and　flies；　when　it
has　killed　a　dog　or　a　man　who　is　herding　his　cattle；　before　a　body
of　men　can　be　gathered　to　attack　it。　Even　so　did　the　son　of　Nestor
fly；　and　the　Trojans　and　Hector　with　a　cry　that　rent　the　air
showered　their　weapons　after　him；　nor　did　he　turn　round　and　stay　his
flight　till　he　had　reached　his　comrades。
　　The　Trojans；　fierce　as　lions；　were　still　rushing　on　towards　the
ships　in　fulfilment　of　the　behests　of　Jove　who　kept　spurring　them　on
to　new　deeds　of　daring；　while　he　deadened　the　courage　of　the　Argives
and　defeated　them　by　encouraging　the　Trojans。　For　he　meant　giving
glory　to　Hector　son　of　Priam；　and　letting　him　throw　fire　upon　the
ships；　till　he　had　fulfilled　the　unrighteous　prayer　that　Thetis　had
made　him；　Jove；　therefore；　bided　his　time　till　he　should　see　the　glare
of　a　blazing　ship。　From　that　hour　he　was　about　so　to　order　that　the
Trojans　should　be　driven　back　from　the　ships　and　to　vouchsafe　glory　to
the　Achaeans。　With　this　purpose　he　inspired　Hector　son　of　Priam；　who
was　cager　enough　already；　to　assail　the　ships。　His　fury　was　as　that　of
Mars；　or　as　when　a　fire　is　raging　in　the　glades　of　some　dense　forest
upon　the　mountains；　he　foamed　at　the　mouth；　his　eyes　glared　under
his　terrible　eye…brows；　and　his　helmet　quivered　on　his　temples　by
reason　of　the　fury　with　which　he　fought。　Jove　from　heaven　was　with
him；　and　though　he　was　but　one　against　many；　vouchsafed　him　victory
and　glory；　for　he　was　doomed　to　an　ea