the iliad(伊利亚特)-第68章

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not　go　through；　for　the　shield　turned　its　point。　Menelaus　then　took
aim；　praying　to　father　Jove　as　he　did　so；　Euphorbus　was　drawing
back；　and　Menelaus　struck　him　about　the　roots　of　his　throat；　leaning
his　whole　weight　on　the　spear；　so　as　to　drive　it　home。　The　point
went　clean　through　his　neck；　and　his　armour　rang　rattling　round　him　as
he　fell　heavily　to　the　ground。　His　hair　which　was　like　that　of　the
Graces；　and　his　locks　so　deftly　bound　in　bands　of　silver　and　gold；
were　all　bedrabbled　with　blood。　As　one　who　has　grown　a　fine　young
olive　tree　in　a　clear　space　where　there　is　abundance　of　water…　the
plant　is　full　of　promise；　and　though　the　winds　beat　upon　it　from　every
quarter　it　puts　forth　its　white　blossoms　till　the　blasts　of　some
fierce　hurricane　sweep　down　upon　it　and　level　it　with　the　ground…　even
so　did　Menelaus　strip　the　fair　youth　Euphorbus　of　his　armour　after
he　had　slain　him。　Or　as　some　fierce　lion　upon　the　mountains　in　the
pride　of　his　strength　fastens　on　the　finest　heifer　in　a　herd　as　it
is　feeding…　first　he　breaks　her　neck　with　his　strong　jaws；　and　then
gorges　on　her　blood　and　entrails；　dogs　and　shepherds　raise　a　hue　and
cry　against　him；　but　they　stand　aloof　and　will　not　come　close　to
him；　for　they　are　pale　with　fear…　even　so　no　one　had　the　courage　to
face　valiant　Menelaus。　The　son　of　Atreus　would　have　then　carried　off
the　armour　of　the　son　of　Panthous　with　ease；　had　not　Phoebus　Apollo
been　angry；　and　in　the　guise　of　Mentes　chief　of　the　Cicons　incited
Hector　to　attack　him。　〃Hector；〃　said　he；　〃you　are　now　going　after
the　horses　of　the　noble　son　of　Aeacus；　but　you　will　not　take　them；
they　cannot　be　kept　in　hand　and　driven　by　mortal　man；　save　only　by
Achilles；　who　is　son　to　an　immortal　mother。　Meanwhile　Menelaus　son
of　Atreus　has　bestridden　the　body　of　Patroclus　and　killed　the
noblest　of　the　Trojans；　Euphorbus　son　of　Panthous；　so　that　he　can
fight　no　more。〃
　　The　god　then　went　back　into　the　toil　and　turmoil；　but　the　soul　of
Hector　was　darkened　with　a　cloud　of　grief；　he　looked　along　the　ranks
and　saw　Euphorbus　lying　on　the　ground　with　the　blood　still　flowing
from　his　wound；　and　Menelaus　stripping　him　of　his　armour。　On　this　he
made　his　way　to　the　front　like　a　flame　of　fire；　clad　in　his　gleaming
armour；　and　crying　with　a　loud　voice。　When　the　son　of　Atreus　heard
him；　he　said　to　himself　in　his　dismay；　〃Alas！　what　shall　I　do？　I　may
not　let　the　Trojans　take　the　armour　of　Patroclus　who　has　fallen
fighting　on　my　behalf；　lest　some　Danaan　who　sees　me　should　cry　shame
upon　me。　Still　if　for　my　honour's　sake　I　fight　Hector　and　the
Trojans　single…handed；　they　will　prove　too　many　for　me；　for　Hector
is　bringing　them　up　in　force。　Why；　however；　should　I　thus　hesitate？
When　a　man　fights　in　despite　of　heaven　with　one　whom　a　god
befriends；　he　will　soon　rue　it。　Let　no　Danaan　think　ill　of　me　if　I
give　place　to　Hector；　for　the　hand　of　heaven　is　with　him。　Yet；　if　I
could　find　Ajax；　the　two　of　us　would　fight　Hector　and　heaven　too；　if
we　might　only　save　the　body　of　Patroclus　for　Achilles　son　of　Peleus。
This；　of　many　evils　would　be　the　least。〃
　　While　he　was　thus　in　two　minds；　the　Trojans　came　up　to　him　with
Hector　at　their　head；　he　therefore　drew　back　and　left　the　body；
turning　about　like　some　bearded　lion　who　is　being　chased　by　dogs　and
men　from　a　stockyard　with　spears　and　hue　and　cry；　whereon　he　is
daunted　and　slinks　sulkily　off…　even　so　did　Menelaus　son　of　Atreus
turn　and　leave　the　body　of　Patroclus。　When　among　the　body　of　his
men；　he　looked　around　for　mighty　Ajax　son　of　Telamon；　and　presently
saw　him　on　the　extreme　left　of　the　fight；　cheering　on　his　men　and
exhorting　them　to　keep　on　fighting；　for　Phoebus　Apollo　had　spread　a
great　panic　among　them。　He　ran　up　to　him　and　said；　〃Ajax；　my　good
friend；　come　with　me　at　once　to　dead　Patroclus；　if　so　be　that　we　may
take　the　body　to　Achilles…　as　for　his　armour；　Hector　already　has　it。〃
　　These　words　stirred　the　heart　of　Ajax；　and　he　made　his　way　among　the
front　ranks；　Menelaus　going　with　him。　Hector　had　stripped　Patroclus　of
his　armour；　and　was　dragging　him　away　to　cut　off　his　head　and　take　the
body　to　fling　before　the　dogs　of　Troy。　But　Ajax　came　up　with　his
shield　like　wall　before　him；　on　which　Hector　withdrew　under　shelter　of
his　men；　and　sprang　on　to　his　chariot；　giving　the　armour　over　to　the
Trojans　to　take　to　the　city；　as　a　great　trophy　for　himself；　Ajax；
therefore；　covered　the　body　of　Patroclus　with　his　broad　shield　and
bestrode　him；　as　a　lion　stands　over　his　whelps　if　hunters　have　come
upon　him　in　a　forest　when　he　is　with　his　little　ones…　in　the　pride　and
fierceness　of　his　strength　he　draws　his　knit　brows　down　till　they
cover　his　eyes…　even　so　did　Ajax　bestride　the　body　of　Patroclus；　and
by　his　side　stood　Menelaus　son　of　Atreus；　nursing　great　sorrow　in
his　heart。
　　Then　Glaucus　son　of　Hippolochus　looked　fiercely　at　Hector　and
rebuked　him　sternly。　〃Hector；〃　said　he；　〃you　make　a　brave　show；　but　in
fight　you　are　sadly　wanting。　A　runaway　like　yourself　has　no　claim　to
so　great　a　reputation。　Think　how　you　may　now　save　your　town　and
citadel　by　the　hands　of　your　own　people　born　in　Ilius；　for　you　will
get　no　Lycians　to　fight　for　you；　seeing　what　thanks　they　have　had
for　their　incessant　hardships。　Are　you　likely；　sir；　to　do　anything
to　help　a　man　of　less　note；　after　leaving　Sarpedon；　who　was　at　once
your　guest　and　comrade　in　arms；　to　be　the　spoil　and　prey　of　the
Danaans？　So　long　as　he　lived　he　did　good　service　both　to　your　city　and
yourself；　yet　you　had　no　stomach　to　save　his　body　from　the　dogs。　If
the　Lycians　will　listen　to　me；　they　will　go　home　and　leave　Troy　to　its
fate。　If　the　Trojans　had　any　of　that　daring　fearless　spirit　which　lays
hold　of　men　who　are　fighting　for　their　country　and　harassing　those　who
would　attack　it；　we　should　soon　bear　off　Patroclus　into　Ilius。　Could
we　get　this　dead　man　away　and　bring　him　into　the　city　of　Priam；　the
Argives　would　readily　give　up　the　armour　of　Sarpedon；　and　we　should
get　his　body　to　boot。　For　he　whose　squire　has　been　now　killed　is　the
foremost　man　at　the　ships　of　the　Achaeans…　he　and　his　close…fighting
followers。　Nevertheless　you　dared　not　make　a　stand　against　Ajax；　nor
face　him；　eye　to　eye；　with　battle　all　round　you；　for　he　is　a　braver
man　than　you　are。〃
　　Hector　scowled　at　him　and　answered；　〃Glaucus；　you　should　know
better。　I　have　held　you　so　far　as　a　man　of　more　understanding　than　any
in　all　Lycia；　but　now　I　despise　you　for　saying　that　I　am　afraid　of
Ajax。　I　fear　neither　battle　nor　the　din　of　chariots；　but　Jove's　will
is　stronger　than　ours；　Jove　at　one　time　makes　even　a　strong　man　draw
back　and　snatches　victory　from　his　grasp；　while　at　another　he　will　set
him　on　to　fight。　Come　hither　then；　my　friend；　stand　by　me　and　see
indeed　whether　I　shall　play　the　coward　the　whole　day　through　as　you
say；　or　whether　I　shall　not　stay　some　even　of　the　boldest　Danaans　from
fighting　round　the　body　of　Patroclus。〃
　　As　he　spoke　he　called　loudly　on　the　Trojans　saying；　〃Trojans；
Lycians；　and　Dardanians；　fighters　in　close　combat；　be　men；　my　friends；
and　fight　might　and　main；　while　I　put　on　the　goodly　armour　of
Achilles；　which　I　took　when　I　killed　Patroclus。〃
　　With　this　Hector　left　the　fight；　and　ran　full　speed　after　his　men
who　were　taking　the　armour　of　Achilles　to　Troy；　but　had　not　yet　got
far。　Standing　for　a　while　apart　from　the　woeful　fight；　he　changed
his　armour。　His　own　he　sent　to　the　strong　city　of　Ilius　and　to　the
Trojans；　while　he　put　on　the　immortal　armour　of　the　son　of　Peleus；
which　the　gods　had　given　to　Peleus；　who　in　his　age　gave　it　to　his　son；
but　the　son　did　not　grow　old　in　his　father's　armour。
　　When　Jove；　lord　of　the　storm…cloud；　saw　Hector　standing　aloof　and
arming　himself　in　the　armour　of　the　son　of　Peleus；　he　wagged　his
head　and　muttered　to　himself　saying；　〃A！　poor　wretch；　you　arm　in　the
armour　of　a　hero；　before　whom　many　another　trembles；　and　you　reck
nothing　of　the　doom　that　is　already　close　upon　you。　You　have　killed
his　comrade　so　brave　and　strong；　but　it　was　not　well　that　you　should
strip　the　armour　from　his　head　and　shoulders。　I　do　indeed　endow　you
with　great　might　now；　but　as　against　this　you　shall　not　return　from
battle　to　lay　the　armour　of　the