the iliad(伊利亚特)-第69章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


with　great　might　now；　but　as　against　this　you　shall　not　return　from
battle　to　lay　the　armour　of　the　son　of　Peleus　before　Andromache。〃
　　The　son　of　Saturn　bowed　his　portentous　brows；　and　Hector　fitted
the　armour　to　his　body；　while　terrible　Mars　entered　into　him；　and
filled　his　whole　body　with　might　and　valour。　With　a　shout　he　strode　in
among　the　allies；　and　his　armour　flashed　about　him　so　that　he　seemed
to　all　of　them　like　the　great　son　of　Peleus　himself。　He　went　about
among　them　and　cheered　them　on…　Mesthles；　Glaucus；　Medon；
Thersilochus；　Asteropaeus；　Deisenor　and　Hippothous；　Phorcys；
Chromius　and　Ennomus　the　augur。　All　these　did　he　exhort　saying；
〃Hear　me；　allies　from　other　cities　who　are　here　in　your　thousands；
it　was　not　in　order　to　have　a　crowd　about　me　that　I　called　you
hither　each　from　his　several　city；　but　that　with　heart　and　soul　you
might　defend　the　wives　and　little　ones　of　the　Trojans　from　the
fierce　Achaeans。　For　this　do　I　oppress　my　people　with　your　food　and
the　presents　that　make　you　rich。　Therefore　turn；　and　charge　at　the
foe；　to　stand　or　fall　as　is　the　game　of　war；　whoever　shall　bring
Patroclus；　dead　though　he　be；　into　the　hands　of　the　Trojans；　and　shall
make　Ajax　give　way　before　him；　I　will　give　him　one　half　of　the
spoils　while　I　keep　the　other。　He　will　thus　share　like　honour　with
myself。〃
　　When　he　had　thus　spoken　they　charged　full　weight　upon　the　Danaans
with　their　spears　held　out　before　them；　and　the　hopes　of　each　ran　high
that　he　should　force　Ajax　son　of　Telamon　to　yield　up　the　body…　fools
that　they　were；　for　he　was　about　to　take　the　lives　of　many。　Then
Ajax　said　to　Menelaus；　〃My　good　friend　Menelaus；　you　and　I　shall
hardly　come　out　of　this　fight　alive。　I　am　less　concerned　for　the
body　of　Patroclus；　who　will　shortly　become　meat　for　the　dogs　and
vultures　of　Troy；　than　for　the　safety　of　my　own　head　and　yours。　Hector
has　wrapped　us　round　in　a　storm　of　battle　from　every　quarter；　and
our　destruction　seems　now　certain。　Call　then　upon　the　princes　of　the
Danaans　if　there　is　any　who　can　hear　us。〃
　　Menelaus　did　as　he　said；　and　shouted　to　the　Danaans　for　help　at
the　top　of　his　voice。　〃My　friends；〃　he　cried；　〃princes　and　counsellors
of　the　Argives；　all　you　who　with　Agamemnon　and　Menelaus　drink　at　the
public　cost；　and　give　orders　each　to　his　own　people　as　Jove　vouchsafes
him　power　and　glory；　the　fight　is　so　thick　about　me　that　I　cannot
distinguish　you　severally；　come　on；　therefore；　every　man　unbidden；　and
think　it　shame　that　Patroclus　should　become　meat　and　morsel　for　Trojan
hounds。〃
　　Fleet　Ajax　son　of　Oileus　heard　him　and　was　first　to　force　his　way
through　the　fight　and　run　to　help　him。　Next　came　Idomeneus　and
Meriones　his　esquire；　peer　of　murderous　Mars。　As　for　the　others　that
came　into　the　fight　after　these；　who　of　his　own　self　could　name　them？
　　The　Trojans　with　Hector　at　their　head　charged　in　a　body。　As　a
great　wave　that　comes　thundering　in　at　the　mouth　of　some　heaven…born
river；　and　the　rocks　that　jut　into　the　sea　ring　with　the　roar　of　the
breakers　that　beat　and　buffet　them…　even　with　such　a　roar　did　the
Trojans　come　on；　but　the　Achaeans　in　singleness　of　heart　stood　firm
about　the　son　of　Menoetius；　and　fenced　him　with　their　bronze
shields。　Jove；　moreover；　hid　the　brightness　of　their　helmets　in　a
thick　cloud；　for　he　had　borne　no　grudge　against　the　son　of　Menoetius
while　he　was　still　alive　and　squire　to　the　descendant　of　Aeacus；
therefore　he　was　loth　to　let　him　fall　a　prey　to　the　dogs　of　his　foes
the　Trojans；　and　urged　his　comrades　on　to　defend　him。
　　At　first　the　Trojans　drove　the　Achaeans　back；　and　they　withdrew　from
the　dead　man　daunted。　The　Trojans　did　not　succeed　in　killing　any
one；　nevertheless　they　drew　the　body　away。　But　the　Achaeans　did　not
lose　it　long；　for　Ajax；　foremost　of　all　the　Danaans　after　the　son　of
Peleus　alike　in　stature　and　prowess；　quickly　rallied　them　and　made
towards　the　front　like　a　wild　boar　upon　the　mountains　when　he　stands
at　bay　in　the　forest　glades　and　routs　the　hounds　and　lusty　youths　that
have　attacked　him…　even　so　did　Ajax　son　of　Telamon　passing　easily　in
among　the　phalanxes　of　the　Trojans；　disperse　those　who　had
bestridden　Patroclus　and　were　most　bent　on　winning　glory　by　dragging
him　off　to　their　city。　At　this　moment　Hippothous　brave　son　of　the
Pelasgian　Lethus；　in　his　zeal　for　Hector　and　the　Trojans；　was　dragging
the　body　off　by　the　foot　through　the　press　of　the　fight；　having
bound　a　strap　round　the　sinews　near　the　ancle；　but　a　mischief　soon
befell　him　from　which　none　of　those　could　save　him　who　would　have
gladly　done　so；　for　the　son　of　Telamon　sprang　forward　and　smote　him　on
his　bronze…cheeked　helmet。　The　plumed　headpiece　broke　about　the
point　of　the　weapon；　struck　at　once　by　the　spear　and　by　the　strong
hand　of　Ajax；　so　that　the　bloody　brain　came　oozing　out　through　the
crest…socket。　His　strength　then　failed　him　and　he　let　Patroclus'
foot　drop　from　his　hand；　as　he　fell　full　length　dead　upon　the　body；
thus　he　died　far　from　the　fertile　land　of　Larissa；　and　never　repaid
his　parents　the　cost　of　bringing　him　up；　for　his　life　was　cut　short
early　by　the　spear　of　mighty　Ajax。　Hector　then　took　aim　at　Ajax　with　a
spear；　but　he　saw　it　coming　and　just　managed　to　avoid　it；　the　spear
passed　on　and　struck　Schedius　son　of　noble　Iphitus；　captain　of　the
Phoceans；　who　dwelt　in　famed　Panopeus　and　reigned　over　much　people；　it
struck　him　under　the　middle　of　the　collar…bone　the　bronze　point　went
right　through　him；　coming　out　at　the　bottom　of　his　shoulder…blade；　and
his　armour　rang　rattling　round　him　as　he　fell　heavily　to　the　ground。
Ajax　in　his　turn　struck　noble　Phorcys　son　of　Phaenops　in　the　middle　of
the　belly　as　he　was　bestriding　Hippothous；　and　broke　the　plate　of
his　cuirass；　whereon　the　spear　tore　out　his　entrails　and　he　clutched
the　ground　in　his　palm　as　he　fell　to　earth。　Hector　and　those　who
were　in　the　front　rank　then　gave　ground；　while　the　Argives　raised　a
loud　cry　of　triumph；　and　drew　off　the　bodies　of　Phorcys　and　Hippothous
which　they　stripped　presently　of　their　armour。
　　The　Trojans　would　now　have　been　worsted　by　the　brave　Achaeans　and
driven　back　to　Ilius　through　their　own　cowardice；　while　the　Argives；
so　great　was　their　courage　and　endurance；　would　have　achieved　a
triumph　even　against　the　will　of　Jove；　if　Apollo　had　not　roused
Aeneas；　in　the　likeness　of　Periphas　son　of　Epytus；　an　attendant　who
had　grown　old　in　the　service　of　Aeneas'　aged　father；　and　was　at　all
times　devoted　to　him。　In　his　likeness；　then；　Apollo　said；　〃Aeneas；　can
you　not　manage；　even　though　heaven　be　against　us；　to　save　high
Ilius？　I　have　known　men；　whose　numbers；　courage；　and　self…reliance
have　saved　their　people　in　spite　of　Jove；　whereas　in　this　case　he
would　much　rather　give　victory　to　us　than　to　the　Danaans；　if　you　would
only　fight　instead　of　being　so　terribly　afraid。〃
　　Aeneas　knew　Apollo　when　he　looked　straight　at　him；　and　shouted　to
Hector　saying；　〃Hector　and　all　other　Trojans　and　allies；　shame　on　us
if　we　are　beaten　by　the　Achaeans　and　driven　back　to　Ilius　through
our　own　cowardice。　A　god　has　just　come　up　to　me　and　told　me　that
Jove　the　supreme　disposer　will　be　with　us。　Therefore　let　us　make　for
the　Danaans；　that　it　may　go　hard　with　them　ere　they　bear　away　dead
Patroclus　to　the　ships。〃
　　As　he　spoke　he　sprang　out　far　in　front　of　the　others；　who　then
rallied　and　again　faced　the　Achaeans。　Aeneas　speared　Leiocritus　son　of
Arisbas；　a　valiant　follower　of　Lycomedes；　and　Lycomedes　was　moved　with
pity　as　he　saw　him　fall；　he　therefore　went　close　up；　and　speared
Apisaon　son　of　Hippasus　shepherd　of　his　people　in　the　liver　under
the　midriff；　so　that　he　died；　he　had　come　from　fertile　Paeonia　and　was
the　best　man　of　them　all　after　Asteropaeus。　Asteropaeus　flew　forward
to　avenge　him　and　attack　the　Danaans；　but　this　might　no　longer　be；
inasmuch　as　those　about　Patroclus　were　well　covered　by　their
shields；　and　held　their　spears　in　front　of　them；　for　Ajax　had　given
them　strict　orders　that　no　man　was　either　to　give　ground；　or　to
stand　out　before　the　others；　but　all　were　to　hold　well　together
about　the　body　and　fight　hand　to　hand。　Thus　did　huge　Ajax　bid　them；
and　the　earth　ran　red　with　blood　as　the　corpses　fell　thick　on