the iliad(伊利亚特)-第94章

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of　me；　for　they　were　angry　at　the　way　victory　had　gone；　and　at　the
greater　part　of　the　prizes　remaining　in　the　place　in　which　they　had
been　offered。　They　were　twins；　and　the　one　kept　on　holding　the
reins；　and　holding　the　reins；　while　the　other　plied　the　whip。　Such　was
I　then；　but　now　I　must　leave　these　matters　to　younger　men；　I　must
bow　before　the　weight　of　years；　but　in　those　days　I　was　eminent
among　heroes。　And　now；　sir；　go　on　with　the　funeral　contests　in
honour　of　your　comrade：　gladly　do　I　accept　this　urn；　and　my　heart
rejoices　that　you　do　not　forget　me　but　are　ever　mindful　of　my　goodwill
towards　you；　and　of　the　respect　due　to　me　from　the　Achaeans。　For　all
which　may　the　grace　of　heaven　be　vouchsafed　you　in　great　abundance。〃
　　Thereon　the　son　of　Peleus；　when　he　had　listened　to　all　the　thanks　of
Nestor；　went　about　among　the　concourse　of　the　Achaeans；　and
presently　offered　prizes　for　skill　in　the　painful　art　of　boxing。　He
brought　out　a　strong　mule；　and　made　it　fast　in　the　middle　of　the
crowd…　a　she…mule　never　yet　broken；　but　six　years　old…　　when　it　is
hardest　of　all　to　break　them：　this　was　for　the　victor；　and　for　the
vanquished　he　offered　a　double　cup。　Then　he　stood　up　and　said　among
the　Argives；　〃Son　of　Atreus；　and　all　other　Achaeans；　I　invite　our
two　champion　boxers　to　lay　about　them　lustily　and　compete　for　these
prizes。　He　to　whom　Apollo　vouchsafes　the　greater　endurance；　and　whom
the　Achaeans　acknowledge　as　victor；　shall　take　the　mule　back　with
him　to　his　own　tent；　while　he　that　is　vanquished　shall　have　the　double
cup。〃
　　As　he　spoke　there　stood　up　a　champion　both　brave　and　great
stature；　a　skilful　boxer；　Epeus；　son　of　Panopeus。　He　laid　his　hand
on　the　mule　and　said；　〃Let　the　man　who　is　to　have　the　cup　come　hither；
for　none　but　myself　will　take　the　mule。　I　am　the　best　boxer　of　all
here　present；　and　none　can　beat　me。　Is　it　not　enough　that　I　should
fall　short　of　you　in　actual　fighting？　Still；　no　man　can　be　good　at
everything。　I　tell　you　plainly；　and　it　shall　come　true；　if　any　man
will　box　with　me　I　will　bruise　his　body　and　break　his　bones；　therefore
let　his　friends　stay　here　in　a　body　and　be　at　hand　to　take　him　away
when　I　have　done　with　him。〃
　　They　all　held　their　peace；　and　no　man　rose　save　Euryalus　son　of
Mecisteus；　who　was　son　of　Talaus。　Mecisteus　went　once　to　Thebes
after　the　fall　of　Oedipus；　to　attend　his　funeral；　and　he　beat　all
the　people　of　Cadmus。　The　son　of　Tydeus　was　Euryalus's　second；
cheering　him　on　and　hoping　heartily　that　he　would　win。　First　he　put
a　waistband　round　him　and　then　he　gave　him　some　well…cut　thongs　of
ox…hide；　the　two　men　being　now　girt　went　into　the　middle　of　the
ring；　and　immediately　fell　to；　heavily　indeed　did　they　punish　one
another　and　lay　about　them　with　their　brawny　fists。　One　could　hear　the
horrid　crashing　of　their　jaws；　and　they　sweated　from　every　pore　of
their　skin。　Presently　Epeus　came　on　and　gave　Euryalus　a　blow　on　the
jaw　as　he　was　looking　round；　Euryalus　could　not　keep　his　legs；　they
gave　way　under　him　in　a　moment　and　he　sprang　up　with　a　bound；　as　a
fish　leaps　into　the　air　near　some　shore　that　is　all　bestrewn　with
sea…wrack；　when　Boreas　furs　the　top　of　the　waves；　and　then　falls
back　into　deep　water。　But　noble　Epeus　caught　hold　of　him　and　raised
him　up；　his　comrades　also　came　round　him　and　led　him　from　the　ring；
unsteady　in　his　gait；　his　head　hanging　on　one　side；　and　spitting　great
clots　of　gore。　They　set　him　down　in　a　swoon　and　then　went　to　fetch　the
double　cup。
　　The　son　of　Peleus　now　brought　out　the　prizes　for　the　third　contest
and　showed　them　to　the　Argives。　These　were　for　the　painful　art　of
wrestling。　For　the　winner　there　was　a　great　tripod　ready　for　setting
upon　the　fire；　and　the　Achaeans　valued　it　among　themselves　at　twelve
oxen。　For　the　loser　he　brought　out　a　woman　skilled　in　all　manner　of
arts；　and　they　valued　her　at　four　oxen。　He　rose　and　said　among　the
Argives；　〃Stand　forward；　you　who　will　essay　this　contest。〃
　　Forthwith　uprose　great　Ajax　the　son　of　Telamon；　and　crafty
Ulysses；　full　of　wiles　rose　also。　The　two　girded　themselves　and　went
into　the　middle　of　the　ring。　They　gripped　each　other　in　their　strong
hands　like　the　rafters　which　some　master…builder　frames　for　the　roof
of　a　high　house　to　keep　the　wind　out。　Their　backbones　cracked　as
they　tugged　at　one　another　with　their　mighty　arms…　and　sweat　rained
from　them　in　torrents。　Many　a　bloody　weal　sprang　up　on　their　sides　and
shoulders；　but　they　kept　on　striving　with　might　and　main　for　victory
and　to　win　the　tripod。　Ulysses　could　not　throw　Ajax；　nor　Ajax　him；
Ulysses　was　too　strong　for　him；　but　when　the　Achaeans　began　to　tire　of
watching　them；　Ajax　said　to　ulysses；　〃Ulysses；　noble　son　of　Laertes；
you　shall　either　lift　me；　or　I　you；　and　let　Jove　settle　it　between
us。〃
　　He　lifted　him　from　the　ground　as　he　spoke；　but　Ulysses　did　not
forget　his　cunning。　He　hit　Ajax　in　the　hollow　at　back　of　his　knee；
so　that　he　could　not　keep　his　feet；　but　fell　on　his　back　with
Ulysses　lying　upon　his　chest；　and　all　who　saw　it　marvelled。　Then
Ulysses　in　turn　lifted　Ajax　and　stirred　him　a　little　from　the　ground
but　could　not　lift　him　right　off　it；　his　knee　sank　under　him；　and
the　two　fell　side　by　side　on　the　ground　and　were　all　begrimed　with
dust。　They　now　sprang　towards　one　another　and　were　for　wrestling　yet　a
third　time；　but　Achilles　rose　and　stayed　them。　〃Put　not　each　other
further；〃　said　he；　〃to　such　cruel　suffering；　the　victory　is　with
both　alike；　take　each　of　you　an　equal　prize；　and　let　the　other
Achaeans　now　compete。〃
　　Thus　did　he　speak　and　they　did　even　as　he　had　said；　and　put　on　their
shirts　again　after　wiping　the　dust　from　off　their　bodies。
　　The　son　of　Peleus　then　offered　prizes　for　speed　in　running…　a
mixing…bowl　beautifully　wrought；　of　pure　silver。　It　would　hold　six
measures；　and　far　exceeded　all　others　in　the　whole　world　for　beauty；
it　was　the　work　of　cunning　artificers　in　Sidon；　and　had　been　brought
into　port　by　Phoenicians　from　beyond　the　sea；　who　had　made　a　present
of　it　to　Thoas。　Eueneus　son　of　jason　had　given　it　to　Patroclus　in
ransom　of　Priam's　son　Lycaon；　and　Achilles　now　offered　it　as　a　prize
in　honour　of　his　comrade　to　him　who　should　be　the　swiftest　runner。　For
the　second　prize　he　offered　a　large　ox；　well　fattened；　while　for　the
last　there　was　to　be　half　a　talent　of　gold。　He　then　rose　and　said
among　the　Argives；　〃Stand　forward；　you　who　will　essay　this　contest。〃
　　Forthwith　uprose　fleet　Ajax　son　of　Oileus；　with　cunning　Ulysses；　and
Nestor's　son　Antilochus；　the　fastest　runner　among　all　the　youth　of　his
time。　They　stood　side　by　side　and　Achilles　showed　them　the　goal。　The
course　was　set　out　for　them　from　the　starting…post；　and　the　son　of
Oileus　took　the　lead　at　once；　with　Ulysses　as　close　behind　him　as
the　shuttle　is　to　a　woman's　bosom　when　she　throws　the　woof　across
the　warp　and　holds　it　close　up　to　her；　even　so　close　behind　him　was
Ulysses…　treading　in　his　footprints　before　the　dust　could　settle
there；　and　Ajax　could　feel　his　breath　on　the　back　of　his　head　as　he
ran　swiftly　on。　The　Achaeans　all　shouted　applause　as　they　saw　him
straining　his　utmost；　and　cheered　him　as　he　shot　past　them；　but　when
they　were　now　nearing　the　end　of　the　course　Ulysses　prayed　inwardly　to
Minerva。　〃Hear　me；〃　he　cried；　〃and　help　my　feet；　O　goddess。〃　Thus
did　he　pray；　and　Pallas　Minerva　heard　his　prayer；　she　made　his　hands
and　his　feet　feel　light；　and　when　the　runners　were　at　the　point　of
pouncing　upon　the　prize；　Ajax；　through　Minerva's　spite　slipped　upon
some　offal　that　was　lying　there　from　the　cattle　which　Achilles　had
slaughtered　in　honour　of　Patroclus；　and　his　mouth　and　nostrils　were
all　filled　with　cow　dung。　Ulysses　therefore　carried　off　the
mixing…bowl；　for　he　got　before　Ajax　and　came　in　first。　But　Ajax　took
the　ox　and　stood　with　his　hand　on　one　of　its　horns；　spitting　the
dung　out　of　his　mouth。　Then　he　said　to　the　Argives；　〃Alas；　the　goddess
has　spoiled　my　running；　she　watches　over　Ulysses　and　stands　by　him
as　though　she　were　his　own　mother。〃　Thus　did　he　speak　and　they　all
of　them　laughed　heartily。
　　Antilochus　carried　off　the　last　prize　and　smiled　as　he　said　to　the
bystanders；　〃You　all　see；　my　friends；　that　now　too　the　gods　have　sho