the iliad(伊利亚特)-第35部分

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hold　back　by　the　ships；　but　I　never　yet　saw　or　heard　of　such　horses　as
these　are。　Surely　some　god　must　have　met　you　and　given　them　to　you；
for　you　are　both　of　dear　to　Jove；　and　to　Jove's　daughter　Minerva。〃
　　And　Ulysses　answered；　〃Nestor　son　of　Neleus；　honour　to　the　Achaean
name；　heaven；　if　it　so　will；　can　give　us　even　better　horses　than
these；　for　the　gods　are　far　mightier　than　we　are。　These　horses；
however；　about　which　you　ask　me；　are　freshly　come　from　Thrace。
Diomed　killed　their　king　with　the　twelve　bravest　of　his　companions。
Hard　by　the　ships　we　took　a　thirteenth　man…　a　scout　whom　Hector　and
the　other　Trojans　had　sent　as　a　spy　upon　our　ships。〃
　　He　laughed　as　he　spoke　and　drove　the　horses　over　the　ditch；　while
the　other　Achaeans　followed　him　gladly。　When　they　reached　the　strongly
built　quarters　of　the　son　of　Tydeus；　they　tied　the　horses　with
thongs　of　leather　to　the　manger；　where　the　steeds　of　Diomed　stood
eating　their　sweet　corn；　but　Ulysses　hung　the　blood…stained　spoils
of　Dolon　at　the　stern　of　his　ship；　that　they　might　prepare　a　sacred
offering　to　Minerva。　As　for　themselves；　they　went　into　the　sea　and
washed　the　sweat　from　their　bodies；　and　from　their　necks　and　thighs。
When　the　sea…water　had　taken　all　the　sweat　from　off　them；　and　had
refreshed　them；　they　went　into　the　baths　and　washed　themselves。
After　they　had　so　done　and　had　anointed　themselves　with　oil；　they
sat　down　to　table；　and　drawing　from　a　full　mixing…bowl；　made　a
drink…offering　of　wine　to　Minerva。



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　BOOK　XI

　　AND　now　as　Dawn　rose　from　her　couch　beside　Tithonus；　harbinger　of
light　alike　to　mortals　and　immortals；　Jove　sent　fierce　Discord　with
the　ensign　of　war　in　her　hands　to　the　ships　of　the　Achaeans。　She
took　her　stand　by　the　huge　black　hull　of　Ulysses'　ship　which　was
middlemost　of　all；　so　that　her　voice　might　carry　farthest　on　either
side；　on　the　one　hand　towards　the　tents　of　Ajax　son　of　Telamon；　and　on
the　other　towards　those　of　Achilles…　for　these　two　heroes；
well…assured　of　their　own　strength；　had　valorously　drawn　up　their
ships　at　the　two　ends　of　the　line。　There　she　took　her　stand；　and
raised　a　cry　both　loud　and　shrill　that　filled　the　Achaeans　with
courage；　giving　them　heart　to　fight　resolutely　and　with　all　their
might；　so　that　they　had　rather　stay　there　and　do　battle　than　go　home
in　their　ships。
　　The　son　of　Atreus　shouted　aloud　and　bade　the　Argives　gird　themselves
for　battle　while　he　put　on　his　armour。　First　he　girded　his　goodly
greaves　about　his　legs；　making　them　fast　with　ankle　clasps　of
silver；　and　about　his　chest　he　set　the　breastplate　which　Cinyras　had
once　given　him　as　a　guest…gift。　It　had　been　noised　abroad　as　far　as
Cyprus　that　the　Achaeans　were　about　to　sail　for　Troy；　and　therefore　he
gave　it　to　the　king。　It　had　ten　courses　of　dark　cyanus；　twelve　of
gold；　and　ten　of　tin。　There　were　serpents　of　cyanus　that　reared
themselves　up　towards　the　neck；　three　upon　either　side；　like　the
rainbows　which　the　son　of　Saturn　has　set　in　heaven　as　a　sign　to　mortal
men。　About　his　shoulders　he　threw　his　sword；　studded　with　bosses　of
gold；　and　the　scabbard　was　of　silver　with　a　chain　of　gold　wherewith　to
hang　it。　He　took　moreover　the　richly…dight　shield　that　covered　his
body　when　he　was　in　battle…　fair　to　see；　with　ten　circles　of　bronze
running　all　round　see；　wit　it。　On　the　body　of　the　shield　there　were
twenty　bosses　of　white　tin；　with　another　of　dark　cyanus　in　the　middle：
this　last　was　made　to　show　a　Gorgon's　head；　fierce　and　grim；　with　Rout
and　Panic　on　either　side。　The　band　for　the　arm　to　go　through　was　of
silver；　on　which　there　was　a　writhing　snake　of　cyanus　with　three　heads
that　sprang　from　a　single　neck；　and　went　in　and　out　among　one　another。
On　his　head　Agamemnon　set　a　helmet；　with　a　peak　before　and　behind；　and
four　plumes　of　horse…hair　that　nodded　menacingly　above　it；　then　he
grasped　two　redoubtable　bronze…shod　spears；　and　the　gleam　of　his
armour　shot　from　him　as　a　flame　into　the　firmament；　while　Juno　and
Minerva　thundered　in　honour　of　the　king　of　rich　Mycene。
　　Every　man　now　left　his　horses　in　charge　of　his　charioteer　to　hold
them　in　readiness　by　the　trench；　while　he　went　into　battle　on　foot
clad　in　full　armour；　and　a　mighty　uproar　rose　on　high　into　the
dawning。　The　chiefs　were　armed　and　at　the　trench　before　the　horses　got
there；　but　these　came　up　presently。　The　son　of　Saturn　sent　a　portent
of　evil　sound　about　their　host；　and　the　dew　fell　red　with　blood；　for
he　was　about　to　send　many　a　brave　man　hurrying　down　to　Hades。
　　The　Trojans；　on　the　other　side　upon　the　rising　slope　of　the　plain；
were　gathered　round　great　Hector；　noble　Polydamas；　Aeneas　who　was
honoured　by　the　Trojans　like　an　immortal；　and　the　three　sons　of
Antenor；　Polybus；　Agenor；　and　young　Acamas　beauteous　as　a　god。
Hector's　round　shield　showed　in　the　front　rank；　and　as　some　baneful
star　that　shines　for　a　moment　through　a　rent　in　the　clouds　and　is
again　hidden　beneath　them；　even　so　was　Hector　now　seen　in　the　front
ranks　and　now　again　in　the　hindermost；　and　his　bronze　armour　gleamed
like　the　lightning　of　aegis…bearing　Jove。
　　And　now　as　a　band　of　reapers　mow　swathes　of　wheat　or　barley　upon　a
rich　man's　land；　and　the　sheaves　fall　thick　before　them；　even　so　did
the　Trojans　and　Achaeans　fall　upon　one　another；　they　were　in　no　mood
for　yielding　but　fought　like　wolves；　and　neither　side　got　the　better
of　the　other。　Discord　was　glad　as　she　beheld　them；　for　she　was　the
only　god　that　went　among　them；　the　others　were　not　there；　but　stayed
quietly　each　in　his　own　home　among　the　dells　and　valleys　of　Olympus。
All　of　them　blamed　the　son　of　Saturn　for　wanting　to　Live　victory　to
the　Trojans；　but　father　Jove　heeded　them　not：　he　held　aloof　from
all；　and　sat　apart　in　his　all…glorious　majesty；　looking　down　upon
the　city　of　the　Trojans；　the　ships　of　the　Achaeans；　the　gleam　of
bronze；　and　alike　upon　the　slayers　and　on　the　slain。
　　Now　so　long　as　the　day　waxed　and　it　was　still　morning；　their　darts
rained　thick　on　one　another　and　the　people　perished；　but　as　the　hour
drew　nigh　when　a　woodman　working　in　some　mountain　forest　will　get
his　midday　meal…　for　he　has　felled　till　his　hands　are　weary；　he　is
tired　out；　and　must　now　have　food…　then　the　Danaans　with　a　cry　that
rang　through　all　their　ranks；　broke　the　battalions　of　the　enemy。
Agamemnon　led　them　on；　and　slew　first　Bienor；　a　leader　of　his
people；　and　afterwards　his　comrade　and　charioteer　Oileus；　who　sprang
from　his　chariot　and　was　coming　full　towards　him；　but　Agamemnon　struck
him　on　the　forehead　with　his　spear；　his　bronze　visor　was　of　no　avail
against　the　weapon；　which　pierced　both　bronze　and　bone；　so　that　his
brains　were　battered　in　and　he　was　killed　in　full　fight。
　　Agamemnon　stripped　their　shirts　from　off　them　and　left　them　with
their　breasts　all　bare　to　lie　where　they　had　fallen。　He　then　went　on
to　kill　Isus　and　Antiphus　two　sons　of　Priam；　the　one　a　bastard；　the
other　born　in　wedlock；　they　were　in　the　same　chariot…　the　bastard
driving；　while　noble　Antiphus　fought　beside　him。　Achilles　had　once
taken　both　of　them　prisoners　in　the　glades　of　Ida；　and　had　bound
them　with　fresh　withes　as　they　were　shepherding；　but　he　had　taken　a
ransom　for　them；　now；　however；　Agamemnon　son　of　Atreus　smote　Isus　in
the　chest　above　the　nipple　with　his　spear；　while　he　struck　Antiphus
hard　by　the　ear　and　threw　him　from　his　chariot。　Forthwith　he
stripped　their　goodly　armour　from　off　them　and　recognized　them；　for　he
had　already　seen　them　at　ships　when　Achilles　brought　them　in　from　Ida。
As　a　lion　fastens　on　the　fawns　of　a　hind　and　crushes　them　in　his　great
jaws；　robbing　them　of　their　tender　life　while　he　on　his　way　back　to
his　lair…　the　hind　can　do　nothing　for　them　even　though　she　be　close
by；　for　she　is　in　an　agony　of　fear；　and　flies　through　the　thick
forest；　sweating；　and　at　her　utmost　speed　before　the　mighty　monster…
so；　no　man　of　the　Trojans　could　help　Isus　and　Antiphus；　for　they
were　themselves　flying　panic　before　the　Argives。
　　Then　King　Agamemnon　took　the　two　sons　of　Antimachus；　Pisander　and
brave　Hippolochus。　It　was　Antimachus　who　had　been　foremost　in
preventing　Helen's　being　restored　to　Menelaus；　for　he　was　largely
bribed　by　Alexandrus；　and　now　Agamemnon　took　his　two　sons；　both　in　the
same　chariot；　trying　to　bring　their　horses　to　a　stand…　for　they　had
lost　hold　of　the　reins　and　the　horses　were　mad　with　fear。　The　son　of
Atreus　sprang　upon　them　like　a　lion；　and　the　pair　besought　him　from
their　chariot。　〃Take　us　alive；〃　they　cried；　〃son　of　Atreus；　and　you
shall　receive　a　great　ransom　for　us。　Our　father　Antimachus　has　great
store　of　gold；　bronze；　and　wrought　iron；　and　from　this　he　will　satisfy
you　with　a　very　large　ransom　should　he　hear　of　our　being　alive　at
the　ships　of　the　Achaeans。〃
　　With　such　piteous　words　and　tears　did　they　beseech　the　king；　but
they　heard　no　pitiful　answer　in　return。　〃If；〃　said　Agamemnon；　〃you　are
sons　of　Antimachus；　who　once　at　a　council　of　Trojans　proposed　that
Menelaus　and　Ulysses；　who　had　come　to　you　as　envoys；　should　be
killed　and　not　suffered　to　return；　you　shall　now　pay　for　the　foul
iniquity　of　your　father。〃
　　As　he　spoke　he　felled　Pisander　from　his　chariot　to　the　earth；
smiting　him　on　the　chest　with　his　spear；