the iliad(伊利亚特)-第86章

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wash　the　sweat　from　off　me　in　the　river　and　in　the　evening　return　to
Ilius。　But　why　commune　with　myself　in　this　way？　Like　enough　he　would
see　me　as　I　am　hurrying　from　the　city　over　the　plain；　and　would
speed　after　me　till　he　had　caught　me…　I　should　stand　no　chance　against
him；　for　he　is　mightiest　of　all　mankind。　What；　then；　if　I　go　out　and
meet　him　in　front　of　the　city？　His　flesh　too；　I　take　it；　can　be
pierced　by　pointed　bronze。　Life　is　the　same　in　one　and　all；　and　men
say　that　he　is　but　mortal　despite　the　triumph　that　Jove　son　of
Saturn　vouchsafes　him。〃
　　So　saying　he　stood　on　his　guard　and　awaited　Achilles；　for　he　was　now
fain　to　fight　him。　As　a　leopardess　that　bounds　from　out　a　thick　covert
to　attack　a　hunter…　she　knows　no　fear　and　is　not　dismayed　by　the
baying　of　the　hounds；　even　though　the　man　be　too　quick　for　her　and
wound　her　either　with　thrust　or　spear；　still；　though　the　spear　has
pierced　her　she　will　not　give　in　till　she　has　either　caught　him　in　her
grip　or　been　killed　outright…　even　so　did　noble　Agenor　son　of
Antenor　refuse　to　fly　till　he　had　made　trial　of　Achilles；　and　took　aim
at　him　with　his　spear；　holding　his　round　shield　before　him　and
crying　with　a　loud　voice。　〃Of　a　truth；〃　said　he；　〃noble　Achilles；
you　deem　that　you　shall　this　day　sack　the　city　of　the　proud　Trojans。
Fool；　there　will　be　trouble　enough　yet　before　it；　for　there　is　many
a　brave　man　of　us　still　inside　who　will　stand　in　front　of　our　dear
parents　with　our　wives　and　children；　to　defend　Ilius。　Here
therefore；　huge　and　mighty　warrior　though　you　be；　here　shall　you　cue。
　　As　he　spoke　his　strong　hand　hurled　his　javelin　from　him；　and　the
spear　struck　Achilles　on　the　leg　beneath　the　knee；　the　greave　of　newly
wrought　tin　rang　loudly；　but　the　spear　recoiled　from　the　body　of　him
whom　it　had　struck；　and　did　not　pierce　it；　for　the　gods　gift　stayed
it。　Achilles　in　his　turn　attacked　noble　Agenor；　but　Apollo　would　not
vouchsafe　him　glory；　for　he　snatched　Agenor　away　and　hid　him　in　a
thick　mist；　sending　him　out　of　the　battle　unmolested　Then　he
craftily　drew　the　son　of　Peleus　away　from　going　after　the　host；　for　he
put　on　the　semblance　of　Agenor　and　stood　in　front　of　Achilles；　who　ran
towards　him　to　give　him　chase　and　pursued　him　over　the　corn　lands　of
the　plain；　turning　him　towards　the　deep　waters　of　the　river　Scamander。
Apollo　ran　but　a　little　way　before　him　and　beguiled　Achilles　by　making
him　think　all　the　time　that　he　was　on　the　point　of　overtaking　him。
Meanwhile　the　rabble　of　routed　Trojans　was　thankful　to　crowd　within
the　city　till　their　numbers　thronged　it；　no　longer　did　they　dare
wait　for　one　another　outside　the　city　walls；　to　learn　who　had
escaped　and　who　were　fallen　in　fight；　but　all　whose　feet　and　knees
could　still　carry　them　poured　pell…mell　into　the　town。



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　BOOK　XXII

　　THUS　the　Trojans　in　the　city；　scared　like　fawns；　wiped　the　sweat
from　off　them　and　drank　to　quench　their　thirst；　leaning　against　the
goodly　battlements；　while　the　Achaeans　with　their　shields　laid　upon
their　shoulders　drew　close　up　to　the　walls。　But　stern　fate　bade　Hector
stay　where　he　was　before　Ilius　and　the　Scaean　gates。　Then　Phoebus
Apollo　spoke　to　the　son　of　Peleus　saying；　〃Why；　son　of　Peleus；　do　you；
who　are　but　man；　give　chase　to　me　who　am　immortal？　Have　you　not　yet
found　out　that　it　is　a　god　whom　you　pursue　so　furiously？　You　did　not
harass　the　Trojans　whom　you　had　routed；　and　now　they　are　within
their　walls；　while　you　have　been　decoyed　hither　away　from　them。　Me　you
cannot　kill；　for　death　can　take　no　hold　upon　me。〃
　　Achilles　was　greatly　angered　and　said；　〃You　have　baulked　me；
Far…Darter；　most　malicious　of　all　gods；　and　have　drawn　me　away　from
the　wall；　where　many　another　man　would　have　bitten　the　dust　ere　he　got
within　Ilius；　you　have　robbed　me　of　great　glory　and　have　saved　the
Trojans　at　no　risk　to　yourself；　for　you　have　nothing　to　fear；　but　I
would　indeed　have　my　revenge　if　it　were　in　my　power　to　do　so。〃
　　On　this；　with　fell　intent　he　made　towards　the　city；　and　as　the
winning　horse　in　a　chariot　race　strains　every　nerve　when　he　is
flying　over　the　plain；　even　so　fast　and　furiously　did　the　limbs　of
Achilles　bear　him　onwards。　King　Priam　was　first　to　note　him　as　he
scoured　the　plain；　all　radiant　as　the　star　which　men　call　Orion's
Hound；　and　whose　beams　blaze　forth　in　time　of　harvest　more　brilliantly
than　those　of　any　other　that　shines　by　night；　brightest　of　them　all
though　he　be；　he　yet　bodes　ill　for　mortals；　for　he　brings　fire　and
fever　in　his　train…　even　so　did　Achilles'　armour　gleam　on　his　breast
as　he　sped　onwards。　Priam　raised　a　cry　and　beat　his　head　with　his
hands　as　he　lifted　them　up　and　shouted　out　to　his　dear　son；
imploring　him　to　return；　but　Hector　still　stayed　before　the　gates；　for
his　heart　was　set　upon　doing　battle　with　Achilles。　The　old　man　reached
out　his　arms　towards　him　and　bade　him　for　pity's　sake　come　within
the　walls。　〃Hector；〃　he　cried；　〃my　son；　stay　not　to　face　this　man
alone　and　unsupported；　or　you　will　meet　death　at　the　hands　of　the
son　of　Peleus；　for　he　is　mightier　than　you。　Monster　that　he　is；
would　indeed　that　the　gods　loved　him　no　better　than　I　do；　for　so；　dogs
and　vultures　would　soon　devour　him　as　he　lay　stretched　on　earth；　and　a
load　of　grief　would　be　lifted　from　my　heart；　for　many　a　brave　son
has　he　reft　from　me；　either　by　killing　them　or　selling　them　away　in
the　islands　that　are　beyond　the　sea：　even　now　I　miss　two　sons　from
among　the　Trojans　who　have　thronged　within　the　city；　Lycaon　and
Polydorus；　whom　Laothoe　peeress　among　women　bore　me。　Should　they　be
still　alive　and　in　the　hands　of　the　Achaeans；　we　will　ransom　them　with
gold　and　bronze；　of　which　we　have　store；　for　the　old　man　Altes　endowed
his　daughter　richly；　but　if　they　are　already　dead　and　in　the　house
of　Hades；　sorrow　will　it　be　to　us　two　who　were　their　parents；　albeit
the　grief　of　others　will　be　more　short…lived　unless　you　too　perish
at　the　hands　of　Achilles。　Come；　then；　my　son；　within　the　city；　to　be
the　guardian　of　Trojan　men　and　Trojan　women；　or　you　will　both　lose
your　own　life　and　afford　a　mighty　triumph　to　the　son　of　Peleus。　Have
pity　also　on　your　unhappy　father　while　life　yet　remains　to　him…　on　me；
whom　the　son　of　Saturn　will　destroy　by　a　terrible　doom　on　the
threshold　of　old　age；　after　I　have　seen　my　sons　slain　and　my　daughters
haled　away　as　captives；　my　bridal　chambers　pillaged；　little　children
dashed　to　earth　amid　the　rage　of　battle；　and　my　sons'　wives　dragged
away　by　the　cruel　hands　of　the　Achaeans；　in　the　end　fierce　hounds　will
tear　me　in　pieces　at　my　own　gates　after　some　one　has　beaten　the　life
out　of　my　body　with　sword　or　spear…hounds　that　I　myself　reared　and　fed
at　my　own　table　to　guard　my　gates；　but　who　will　yet　lap　my　blood　and
then　lie　all　distraught　at　my　doors。　When　a　young　man　falls　by　the
sword　in　battle；　he　may　lie　where　he　is　and　there　is　nothing　unseemly；
let　what　will　be　seen；　all　is　honourable　in　death；　but　when　an　old　man
is　slain　there　is　nothing　in　this　world　more　pitiable　than　that　dogs
should　defile　his　grey　hair　and　beard　and　all　that　men　hide　for
shame。〃
　　The　old　man　tore　his　grey　hair　as　he　spoke；　but　he　moved　not　the
heart　of　Hector。　His　mother　hard　by　wept　and　moaned　aloud　as　she　bared
her　bosom　and　pointed　to　the　breast　which　had　suckled　him。　〃Hector；〃
she　cried；　weeping　bitterly　the　while；　〃Hector；　my　son；　spurn　not　this
breast；　but　have　pity　upon　me　too：　if　I　have　ever　given　you　comfort
from　my　own　bosom；　think　on　it　now；　dear　son；　and　come　within　the　wall
to　protect　us　from　this　man；　stand　not　without　to　meet　him。　Should　the
wretch　kill　you；　neither　I　nor　your　richly　dowered　wife　shall　ever
weep；　dear　offshoot　of　myself；　over　the　bed　on　which　you　lie；　for　dogs
will　devour　you　at　the　ships　of　the　Achaeans。〃
　　Thus　did　the　two　with　many　tears　implore　their　son；　but　they　moved
not　the　heart　of　Hector；　and　he　stood　his　ground　awaiting　huge
Achilles　as　he　drew　nearer　towards　him。　As　serpent　in　its　den　upon　the
mountains；　full　fed　with　deadly　poisons；　waits　for　the　approach　of
man…　he　is　filled　with　fury　and　his　eyes　glare　terribly　as　he　goes
writhing　round　his　den…　even　so　Hector　leaned　his　shield　against　a
tower　that　ju