the iliad(伊利亚特)-第88章

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without　daring　to　withstand　you；　but　now；　let　me　either　slay　or　be
slain；　for　I　am　in　the　mind　to　face　you。　Let　us；　then；　give　pledges　to
one　another　by　our　gods；　who　are　the　fittest　witnesses　and　guardians
of　all　covenants；　let　it　be　agreed　between　us　that　if　Jove
vouchsafes　me　the　longer　stay　and　I　take　your　life；　I　am　not　to
treat　your　dead　body　in　any　unseemly　fashion；　but　when　I　have　stripped
you　of　your　armour；　I　am　to　give　up　your　body　to　the　Achaeans。　And
do　you　likewise。〃
　　Achilles　glared　at　him　and　answered；　〃Fool；　prate　not　to　me　about
covenants。　There　can　be　no　covenants　between　men　and　lions；　wolves　and
lambs　can　never　be　of　one　mind；　but　hate　each　other　out　and　out　an
through。　Therefore　there　can　be　no　understanding　between　you　and　me；
nor　may　there　be　any　covenants　between　us；　till　one　or　other　shall
fall　and　glut　grim　Mars　with　his　life's　blood。　Put　forth　all　your
strength；　you　have　need　now　to　prove　yourself　indeed　a　bold　soldier
and　man　of　war。　You　have　no　more　chance；　and　Pallas　Minerva　will
forthwith　vanquish　you　by　my　spear：　you　shall　now　pay　me　in　full　for
the　grief　you　have　caused　me　on　account　of　my　comrades　whom　you　have
killed　in　battle。〃
　　He　poised　his　spear　as　he　spoke　and　hurled　it。　Hector　saw　it
coming　and　avoided　it；　he　watched　it　and　crouched　down　so　that　it　flew
over　his　head　and　stuck　in　the　ground　beyond；　Minerva　then　snatched　it
up　and　gave　it　back　to　Achilles　without　Hector's　seeing　her；　Hector
thereon　said　to　the　son　of　Peleus；　〃You　have　missed　your　aim；
Achilles；　peer　of　the　gods；　and　Jove　has　not　yet　revealed　to　you　the
hour　of　my　doom；　though　you　made　sure　that　he　had　done　so。　You　were
a　false…tongued　liar　when　you　deemed　that　I　should　forget　my　valour
and　quail　before　you。　You　shall　not　drive　spear　into　the　back　of　a
runaway…　drive　it；　should　heaven　so　grant　you　power；　drive　it　into
me　as　I　make　straight　towards　you；　and　now　for　your　own　part　avoid
my　spear　if　you　can…　would　that　you　might　receive　the　whole　of　it　into
your　body；　if　you　were　once　dead　the　Trojans　would　find　the　war　an
easier　matter；　for　it　is　you　who　have　harmed　them　most。〃
　　He　poised　his　spear　as　he　spoke　and　hurled　it。　His　aim　was　true
for　he　hit　the　middle　of　Achilles'　shield；　but　the　spear　rebounded
from　it；　and　did　not　pierce　it。　Hector　was　angry　when　he　saw　that
the　weapon　had　sped　from　his　hand　in　vain；　and　stood　there　in　dismay
for　he　had　no　second　spear。　With　a　loud　cry　he　called　Diphobus　and
asked　him　for　one；　but　there　was　no　man；　then　he　saw　the　truth　and
said　to　himself；　〃Alas！　the　gods　have　lured　me　on　to　my　destruction。　I
deemed　that　the　hero　Deiphobus　was　by　my　side；　but　he　is　within　the
wall；　and　Minerva　has　inveigled　me；　death　is　now　indeed　exceedingly
near　at　hand　and　there　is　no　way　out　of　it…　for　so　Jove　and　his　son
Apollo　the　far…darter　have　willed　it；　though　heretofore　they　have　been
ever　ready　to　protect　me。　My　doom　has　come　upon　me；　let　me　not　then
die　ingloriously　and　without　a　struggle；　but　let　me　first　do　some
great　thing　that　shall　be　told　among　men　hereafter。〃
　　As　he　spoke　he　drew　the　keen　blade　that　hung　so　great　and　strong
by　his　side；　and　gathering　himself　together　be　sprang　on　Achilles　like
a　soaring　eagle　which　swoops　down　from　the　clouds　on　to　some　lamb　or
timid　hare…　even　so　did　Hector　brandish　his　sword　and　spring　upon
Achilles。　Achilles　mad　with　rage　darted　towards　him；　with　his　wondrous
shield　before　his　breast；　and　his　gleaming　helmet；　made　with　four
layers　of　metal；　nodding　fiercely　forward。　The　thick　tresses　of　gold
wi　which　Vulcan　had　crested　the　helmet　floated　round　it；　and　as　the
evening　star　that　shines　brighter　than　all　others　through　the
stillness　of　night；　even　such　was　the　gleam　of　the　spear　which
Achilles　poised　in　his　right　hand；　fraught　with　the　death　of　noble
Hector。　He　eyed　his　fair　flesh　over　and　over　to　see　where　he　could
best　wound　it；　but　all　was　protected　by　the　goodly　armour　of　which
Hector　had　spoiled　Patroclus　after　he　had　slain　him；　save　only　the
throat　where　the　collar…bones　divide　the　neck　from　the　shoulders；
and　this　is　a　most　deadly　place：　here　then　did　Achilles　strike　him
as　he　was　coming　on　towards　him；　and　the　point　of　his　spear　went　right
through　the　fleshy　part　of　the　neck；　but　it　did　not　sever　his　windpipe
so　that　he　could　still　speak。　Hector　fell　headlong；　and　Achilles
vaunted　over　him　saying；　〃Hector；　you　deemed　that　you　should　come
off　scatheless　when　you　were　spoiling　Patroclus；　and　recked　not　of
myself　who　was　not　with　him。　Fool　that　you　were：　for　I；　his　comrade；
mightier　far　than　he；　was　still　left　behind　him　at　the　ships；　and
now　I　have　laid　you　low。　The　Achaeans　shall　give　him　all　due　funeral
rites；　while　dogs　and　vultures　shall　work　their　will　upon　yourself。〃
　　Then　Hector　said；　as　the　life　ebbed　out　of　him；　〃I　pray　you　by
your　life　and　knees；　and　by　your　parents；　let　not　dogs　devour　me　at
the　ships　of　the　Achaeans；　but　accept　the　rich　treasure　of　gold　and
bronze　which　my　father　and　mother　will　offer　you；　and　send　my　body
home；　that　the　Trojans　and　their　wives　may　give　me　my　dues　of　fire
when　I　am　dead。〃
　　Achilles　glared　at　him　and　answered；　〃Dog；　talk　not　to　me　neither　of
knees　nor　parents；　would　that　I　could　be　as　sure　of　being　able　to
cut　your　flesh　into　pieces　and　eat　it　raw；　for　the　ill　have　done　me；
as　I　am　that　nothing　shall　save　you　from　the　dogs…　it　shall　not　be；
though　they　bring　ten　or　twenty…fold　ransom　and　weigh　it　out　for　me　on
the　spot；　with　promise　of　yet　more　hereafter。　Though　Priam　son　of
Dardanus　should　bid　them　offer　me　your　weight　in　gold；　even　so　your
mother　shall　never　lay　you　out　and　make　lament　over　the　son　she
bore；　but　dogs　and　vultures　shall　eat　you　utterly　up。〃
　　Hector　with　his　dying　breath　then　said；　〃I　know　you　what　you　are；
and　was　sure　that　I　should　not　move　you；　for　your　heart　is　hard　as
iron；　look　to　it　that　I　bring　not　heaven's　anger　upon　you　on　the　day
when　Paris　and　Phoebus　Apollo；　valiant　though　you　be；　shall　slay　you
at　the　Scaean　gates。〃
　　When　he　had　thus　said　the　shrouds　of　death　enfolded　him；　whereon　his
soul　went　out　of　him　and　flew　down　to　the　house　of　Hades；　lamenting
its　sad　fate　that　it　should　en'　youth　and　strength　no　longer。　But
Achilles　said；　speaking　to　the　dead　body；　〃Die；　for　my　part　I　will
accept　my　fate　whensoever　Jove　and　the　other　gods　see　fit　to　send　it。〃
　　As　he　spoke　he　drew　his　spear　from　the　body　and　set　it　on　one
side；　then　he　stripped　the　blood…stained　armour　from　Hector's
shoulders　while　the　other　Achaeans　came　running　up　to　view　his
wondrous　strength　and　beauty；　and　no　one　came　near　him　without
giving　him　a　fresh　wound。　Then　would　one　turn　to　his　neighbour　and
say；　〃It　is　easier　to　handle　Hector　now　than　when　he　was　flinging　fire
on　to　our　ships〃　and　as　he　spoke　he　would　thrust　his　spear　into　him
anew。
　　When　Achilles　had　done　spoiling　Hector　of　his　armour；　he　stood　among
the　Argives　and　said；　〃My　friends；　princes　and　counsellors　of　the
Argives；　now　that　heaven　has　vouchsafed　us　to　overcome　this　man；　who
has　done　us　more　hurt　than　all　the　others　together；　consider　whether
we　should　not　attack　the　city　in　force；　and　discover　in　what　mind
the　Trojans　may　be。　We　should　thus　learn　whether　they　will　desert
their　city　now　that　Hector　has　fallen；　or　will　still　hold　out　even
though　he　is　no　longer　living。　But　why　argue　with　myself　in　this
way；　while　Patroclus　is　still　lying　at　the　ships　unburied；　and
unmourned…　he　Whom　I　can　never　forget　so　long　as　I　am　alive　and　my
strength　fails　not？　Though　men　forget　their　dead　when　once　they　are
within　the　house　of　Hades；　yet　not　even　there　will　I　forget　the
comrade　whom　I　have　lost。　Now；　therefore；　Achaean　youths；　let　us　raise
the　song　of　victory　and　go　back　to　the　ships　taking　this　man　along
with　us；　for　we　have　achieved　a　mighty　triumph　and　have　slain　noble
Hector　to　whom　the　Trojans　prayed　throughout　their　city　as　though　he
were　a　god。〃
　　On　this　he　treated　the　body　of　Hector　with　contumely：　he　pierced　the
sinews　at　the　back　of　both　his　feet　from　heel　to　ancle　and　passed
thongs　of　ox…hide　through　the　slits　he　had　made：　thus　he　made　the　body
fast　to　his　chariot；　letting　the　head　trail　upon　the　ground。　Then　when
he　ha