the iliad(伊利亚特)-第97章

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〃a　messenger　has　come　to　me　from　Olympus；　and　has　told　me　to　go　to　the
ships　of　the　Achaeans　to　ransom　my　dear　son；　taking　with　me　such　gifts
as　shall　give　satisfaction　to　Achilles。　What　think　you　of　this　matter？
for　my　own　part　I　am　greatly　moved　to　pass　through　the　of　the　Achaeans
and　go　to　their　ships。〃
　　His　wife　cried　aloud　as　she　heard　him；　and　said；　〃Alas；　what　has
become　of　that　judgement　for　which　you　have　been　ever　famous　both
among　strangers　and　your　own　people？　How　can　you　venture　alone　to
the　ships　of　the　Achaeans；　and　look　into　the　face　of　him　who　has　slain
so　many　of　your　brave　sons？　You　must　have　iron　courage；　for　if　the
cruel　savage　sees　you　and　lays　hold　on　you；　he　will　know　neither
respect　nor　pity。　Let　us　then　weep　Hector　from　afar　here　in　our　own
house；　for　when　I　gave　him　birth　the　threads　of　overruling　fate　were
spun　for　him　that　dogs　should　eat　his　flesh　far　from　his　parents；　in
the　house　of　that　terrible　man　on　whose　liver　I　would　fain　fasten
and　devour　it。　Thus　would　I　avenge　my　son；　who　showed　no　cowardice
when　Achilles　slew　him；　and　thought　neither　of　Right　nor　of　avoiding
battle　as　he　stood　in　defence　of　Trojan　men　and　Trojan　women。〃
　　Then　Priam　said；　〃I　would　go；　do　not　therefore　stay　me　nor　be　as　a
bird　of　ill　omen　in　my　house；　for　you　will　not　move　me。　Had　it　been
some　mortal　man　who　had　sent　me　some　prophet　or　priest　who　divines
from　sacrifice…　I　should　have　deemed　him　false　and　have　given　him　no
heed；　but　now　I　have　heard　the　goddess　and　seen　her　face　to　face；
therefore　I　will　go　and　her　saying　shall　not　be　in　vain。　If　it　be　my
fate　to　die　at　the　ships　of　the　Achaeans　even　so　would　I　have　it；
let　Achilles　slay　me；　if　I　may　but　first　have　taken　my　son　in　my
arms　and　mourned　him　to　my　heart's　comforting。〃
　　So　saying　he　lifted　the　lids　of　his　chests；　and　took　out　twelve
goodly　vestments。　He　took　also　twelve　cloaks　of　single　fold；　twelve
rugs；　twelve　fair　mantles；　and　an　equal　number　of　shirts。　He　weighed
out　ten　talents　of　gold；　and　brought　moreover　two　burnished　tripods；
four　cauldrons；　and　a　very　beautiful　cup　which　the　Thracians　had　given
him　when　he　had　gone　to　them　on　an　embassy；　it　was　very　precious；
but　he　grudged　not　even　this；　so　eager　was　he　to　ransom　the　body　of
his　son。　Then　he　chased　all　the　Trojans　from　the　court　and　rebuked
them　with　words　of　anger。　〃Out；〃　he　cried；　〃shame　and　disgrace　to　me
that　you　are。　Have　you　no　grief　in　your　own　homes　that　you　are　come　to
plague　me　here？　Is　it　a　small　thing；　think　you；　that　the　son　of　Saturn
has　sent　this　sorrow　upon　me；　to　lose　the　bravest　of　my　sons？　Nay；　you
shall　prove　it　in　person；　for　now　he　is　gone　the　Achaeans　will　have
easier　work　in　killing　you。　As　for　me；　let　me　go　down　within　the　house
of　Hades；　ere　mine　eyes　behold　the　sacking　and　wasting　of　the　city。〃
　　He　drove　the　men　away　with　his　staff；　and　they　went　forth　as　the　old
man　sped　them。　Then　he　called　to　his　sons；　upbraiding　Helenus；
Paris；　noble　Agathon；　Pammon；　Antiphonus；　Polites　of　the　loud
battle…cry；　Deiphobus；　Hippothous；　and　Dius。　These　nine　did　the　old
man　call　near　him。　〃Come　to　me　at　once；〃　he　cried；　〃worthless　sons　who
do　me　shame；　would　that　you　had　all　been　killed　at　the　ships　rather
than　Hector。　Miserable　man　that　I　am；　I　have　had　the　bravest　sons　in
all　Troy…　noble　Nestor；　Troilus　the　dauntless　charioteer；　and　Hector
who　was　a　god　among　men；　so　that　one　would　have　thought　he　was　son
to　an　immortal…　yet　there　is　not　one　of　them　left。　Mars　has　slain　them
and　those　of　whom　I　am　ashamed　are　alone　left　me。　Liars；　and　light
of　foot；　heroes　of　the　dance；　robbers　of　lambs　and　kids　from　your
own　people；　why　do　you　not　get　a　waggon　ready　for　me　at　once；　and
put　all　these　things　upon　it　that　I　may　set　out　on　my　way？〃
　　Thus　did　he　speak；　and　they　feared　the　rebuke　of　their　father。
They　brought　out　a　strong　mule…waggon；　newly　made；　and　set　the　body　of
the　waggon　fast　on　its　bed。　They　took　the　mule…yoke　from　the　peg　on
which　it　hung；　a　yoke　of　boxwood　with　a　knob　on　the　top　of　it　and
rings　for　the　reins　to　go　through。　Then　they　brought　a　yoke…band
eleven　cubits　long；　to　bind　the　yoke　to　the　pole；　they　bound　it　on
at　the　far　end　of　the　pole；　and　put　the　ring　over　the　upright　pin
making　it　fast　with　three　turns　of　the　band　on　either　side　the　knob；
and　bending　the　thong　of　the　yoke　beneath　it。　This　done；　they
brought　from　the　store…chamber　the　rich　ransom　that　was　to　purchase
the　body　of　Hector；　and　they　set　it　all　orderly　on　the　waggon；　then
they　yoked　the　strong　harness…mules　which　the　Mysians　had　on　a　time
given　as　a　goodly　present　to　Priam；　but　for　Priam　himself　they　yoked
horses　which　the　old　king　had　bred；　and　kept　for　own　use。
　　Thus　heedfully　did　Priam　and　his　servant　see　to　the　yolking　of　their
cars　at　the　palace。　Then　Hecuba　came　to　them　all　sorrowful；　with　a
golden　goblet　of　wine　in　her　right　hand；　that　they　might　make　a
drink…offering　before　they　set　out。　She　stood　in　front　of　the　horses
and　said；　〃Take　this；　make　a　drink…offering　to　father　Jove；　and
since　you　are　minded　to　go　to　the　ships　in　spite　of　me；　pray　that
you　may　come　safely　back　from　the　hands　of　your　enemies。　Pray　to　the
son　of　Saturn　lord　of　the　whirlwind；　who　sits　on　Ida　and　looks　down
over　all　Troy；　pray　him　to　send　his　swift　messenger　on　your　right
hand；　the　bird　of　omen　which　is　strongest　and　most　dear　to　him　of
all　birds；　that　you　may　see　it　with　your　own　eyes　and　trust　it　as
you　go　forth　to　the　ships　of　the　Danaans。　If　all…seeing　Jove　will
not　send　you　this　messenger；　however　set　upon　it　you　may　be；　I　would
not　have　you　go　to　the　ships　of　the　Argives。〃
　　And　Priam　answered；　〃Wife；　I　will　do　as　you　desire　me；　it　is　well　to
lift　hands　in　prayer　to　Jove；　if　so　be　he　may　have　mercy　upon　me。〃
　　With　this　the　old　man　bade　the　serving…woman　pour　pure　water　over
his　hands；　and　the　woman　came；　bearing　the　water　in　a　bowl。　He
washed　his　hands　and　took　the　cup　from　his　wife；　then　he　made　the
drink…offering　and　prayed；　standing　in　the　middle　of　the　courtyard　and
turning　his　eyes　to　heaven。　〃Father　Jove；〃　he　said；　〃that　rulest
from　Ida；　most　glorious　and　most　great；　grant　that　I　may　be　received
kindly　and　compassionately　in　the　tents　of　Achilles；　and　send　your
swift　messenger　upon　my　right　hand；　the　bird　of　omen　which　is
strongest　and　most　dear　to　you　of　all　birds；　that　I　may　see　it　with　my
own　eyes　and　trust　it　as　I　go　forth　to　the　ships　of　the　Danaans。〃
　　So　did　he　pray；　and　Jove　the　lord　of　counsel　heard　his　prayer。
Forthwith　he　sent　an　eagle；　the　most　unerring　portent　of　all　birds
that　fly；　the　dusky　hunter　that　men　also　call　the　Black　Eagle。　His
wings　were　spread　abroad　on　either　side　as　wide　as　the　well…made　and
well…bolted　door　of　a　rich　man's　chamber。　He　came　to　them　flying
over　the　city　upon　their　right　hands；　and　when　they　saw　him　they
were　glad　and　their　hearts　took　comfort　within　them。　The　old　man
made　haste　to　mount　his　chariot；　and　drove　out　through　the　inner
gateway　and　under　the　echoing　gatehouse　of　the　outer　court。　Before　him
went　the　mules　drawing　the　four…wheeled　waggon；　and　driven　by　wise
Idaeus；　behind　these　were　the　horses；　which　the　old　man　lashed　with
his　whip　and　drove　swiftly　through　the　city；　while　his　friends
followed　after；　wailing　and　lamenting　for　him　as　though　he　were　on　his
road　to　death。　As　soon　as　they　had　come　down　from　the　city　and　had
reached　the　plain；　his　sons　and　sons…in…law　who　had　followed　him
went　back　to　Ilius。
　　But　Priam　and　Idaeus　as　they　showed　out　upon　the　plain　did　not
escape　the　ken　of　all…seeing　Jove；　who　looked　down　upon　the　old　man
and　pitied　him；　then　he　spoke　to　his　son　Mercury　and　said；　〃Mercury；
for　it　is　you　who　are　the　most　disposed　to　escort　men　on　their　way；
and　to　hear　those　whom　you　will　hear；　go；　and　so　conduct　Priam　to
the　ships　of　the　Achaeans　that　no　other　of　the　Danaans　shall　see　him
nor　take　note　of　him　until　he　reach　the　son　of　Peleus。〃
　　Thus　he　spoke　and　Mercury；　guide　and　guardian；　slayer　of　Argus；
did　as　he　was　told。　Forthwith　he　bound　on　his　glittering　golden
sandals　with　which　he　could　fly　like　the　wind　over　land　and　sea；　he
took　the　wand　with　which　he　seals　men's　eyes　in　sleep；　or　wakes　them
just　as　he　pleases；　and　flew