the iliad(伊利亚特)-第52部分

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furthermore　let　me　tell　you；　and　I　mean　what　I　say…　if　contrary　to　the
desire　of　myself；　Minerva　driver　of　the　spoil；　Juno；　Mercury；　and　King
Vulcan；　Jove　spares　steep　Ilius；　and　will　not　let　the　Achaeans　have
the　great　triumph　of　sacking　it；　let　him　understand　that　he　will　incur
our　implacable　resentment。〃
　　Neptune　now　left　the　field　to　go　down　under　the　sea；　and　sorely
did　the　Achaeans　miss　him。　Then　Jove　said　to　Apollo；　〃Go；　dear
Phoebus；　to　Hector；　for　Neptune　who　holds　the　earth　in　his　embrace　has
now　gone　down　under　the　sea　to　avoid　the　severity　of　my　displeasure。
Had　he　not　done　so　those　gods　who　are　below　with　Saturn　would　have
come　to　hear　of　the　fight　between　us。　It　is　better　for　both　of　us　that
he　should　have　curbed　his　anger　and　kept　out　of　my　reach；　for　I　should
have　had　much　trouble　with　him。　Take；　then；　your　tasselled　aegis；
and　shake　it　furiously；　so　as　to　set　the　Achaean　heroes　in　a　panic；
take；　moreover；　brave　Hector；　O　Far…Darter；　into　your　own　care；　and
rouse　him　to　deeds　of　daring；　till　the　Achaeans　are　sent　flying　back
to　their　ships　and　to　the　Hellespont。　From　that　point　I　will　think
it　well　over；　how　the　Achaeans　may　have　a　respite　from　their
troubles。〃
　　Apollo　obeyed　his　father's　saying；　and　left　the　crests　of　Ida；
flying　like　a　falcon；　bane　of　doves　and　swiftest　of　all　birds。　He
found　Hector　no　longer　lying　upon　the　ground；　but　sitting　up；　for　he
had　just　come　to　himself　again。　He　knew　those　who　were　about　him；
and　the　sweat　and　hard　breathing　had　left　him　from　the　moment　when　the
will　of　aegis…bearing　Jove　had　revived　him。　Apollo　stood　beside　him
and　said；　〃Hector；　son　of　Priam；　why　are　you　so　faint；　and　why　are　you
here　away　from　the　others？　Has　any　mishap　befallen　you？〃
　　Hector　in　a　weak　voice　answered；　〃And　which；　kind　sir；　of　the　gods
are　you；　who　now　ask　me　thus？　Do　you　not　know　that　Ajax　struck　me　on
the　chest　with　a　stone　as　I　was　killing　his　comrades　at　the　ships　of
the　Achaeans；　and　compelled　me　to　leave　off　fighting？　I　made　sure　that
this　very　day　I　should　breathe　my　last　and　go　down　into　the　house　of
Hades。〃
　　Then　King　Apollo　said　to　him；　〃Take　heart；　the　son　of　Saturn　has
sent　you　a　mighty　helper　from　Ida　to　stand　by　you　and　defend　you；　even
me；　Phoebus　Apollo　of　the　golden　sword；　who　have　been　guardian
hitherto　not　only　of　yourself　but　of　your　city。　Now；　therefore；
order　your　horsemen　to　drive　their　chariots　to　the　ships　in　great
multitudes。　I　will　go　before　your　horses　to　smooth　the　way　for　them；
and　will　turn　the　Achaeans　in　flight。〃
　　As　he　spoke　he　infused　great　strength　into　the　shepherd　of　his
people。　And　as　a　horse；　stabled　and　full…fed；　breaks　loose　and　gallops
gloriously　over　the　plain　to　the　place　where　he　is　wont　to　take　his
bath　in　the　river…　he　tosses　his　head；　and　his　mane　streams　over　his
shoulders　as　in　all　the　pride　of　his　strength　he　flies　full　speed　to
the　pastures　where　the　mares　are　feeding…　even　so　Hector；　when　he
heard　what　the　god　said；　urged　his　horsemen　on；　and　sped　forward　as
fast　as　his　limbs　could　take　him。　As　country　peasants　set　their　hounds
on　to　a　homed　stag　or　wild　goat…　he　has　taken　shelter　under　rock　or
thicket；　and　they　cannot　find　him；　but；　lo；　a　bearded　lion　whom
their　shouts　have　roused　stands　in　their　path；　and　they　are　in　no
further　humour　for　the　chase…　even　so　the　Achaeans　were　still　charging
on　in　a　body；　using　their　swords　and　spears　pointed　at　both　ends；
but　when　they　saw　Hector　going　about　among　his　men　they　were　afraid；
and　their　hearts　fell　down　into　their　feet。
　　Then　spoke　Thoas　son　of　Andraemon；　leader　of　the　Aetolians；　a　man
who　could　throw　a　good　throw；　and　who　was　staunch　also　in　close　fight；
while　few　could　surpass　him　in　debate　when　opinions　were　divided。　He
then　with　all　sincerity　and　goodwill　addressed　them　thus：　〃What；　in
heaven's　name；　do　I　now　see？　Is　it　not　Hector　come　to　life　again？
Every　one　made　sure　he　had　been　killed　by　Ajax　son　of　Telamon；　but
it　seems　that　one　of　the　gods　has　again　rescued　him。　He　has　killed
many　of　us　Danaans　already；　and　I　take　it　will　yet　do　so；　for　the　hand
of　Jove　must　be　with　him　or　he　would　never　dare　show　himself　so
masterful　in　the　forefront　of　the　battle。　Now；　therefore；　let　us　all
do　as　I　say；　let　us　order　the　main　body　of　our　forces　to　fall　back
upon　the　ships；　but　let　those　of　us　who　profess　to　be　the　flower　of
the　army　stand　firm；　and　see　whether　we　cannot　hold　Hector　back　at　the
point　of　our　spears　as　soon　as　he　comes　near　us；　I　conceive　that　he
will　then　think　better　of　it　before　he　tries　to　charge　into　the
press　of　the　Danaans。〃
　　Thus　did　he　speak；　and　they　did　even　as　he　had　said。　Those　who
were　about　Ajax　and　King　Idomeneus；　the　followers　moreover　of
Teucer；　Meriones；　and　Meges　peer　of　Mars　called　all　their　best　men
about　them　and　sustained　the　fight　against　Hector　and　the　Trojans；　but
the　main　body　fell　back　upon　the　ships　of　the　Achaeans。
　　The　Trojans　pressed　forward　in　a　dense　body；　with　Hector　striding　on
at　their　head。　Before　him　went　Phoebus　Apollo　shrouded　in　cloud
about　his　shoulders。　He　bore　aloft　the　terrible　aegis　with　its
shaggy　fringe；　which　Vulcan　the　smith　had　given　Jove　to　strike
terror　into　the　hearts　of　men。　With　this　in　his　hand　he　led　on　the
Trojans。
　　The　Argives　held　together　and　stood　their　ground。　The　cry　of
battle　rose　high　from　either　side；　and　the　arrows　flew　from　the
bowstrings。　Many　a　spear　sped　from　strong　hands　and　fastened　in　the
bodies　of　many　a　valiant　warrior；　while　others　fell　to　earth　midway；
before　they　could　taste　of　man's　fair　flesh　and　glut　themselves　with
blood。　So　long　as　Phoebus　Apollo　held　his　aegis　quietly　and　without
shaking　it；　the　weapons　on　either　side　took　effect　and　the　people
fell；　but　when　he　shook　it　straight　in　the　face　of　the　Danaans　and
raised　his　mighty　battle…cry　their　hearts　fainted　within　them　and　they
forgot　their　former　prowess。　As　when　two　wild　beasts　spring　in　the
dead　of　night　on　a　herd　of　cattle　or　a　large　flock　of　sheep　when　the
herdsman　is　not　there…　even　so　were　the　Danaans　struck　helpless；　for
Apollo　filled　them　with　panic　and　gave　victory　to　Hector　and　the
Trojans。
　　The　fight　then　became　more　scattered　and　they　killed　one　another
where　they　best　could。　Hector　killed　Stichius　and　Arcesilaus；　the　one；
leader　of　the　Boeotians；　and　the　other；　friend　and　comrade　of
Menestheus。　Aeneas　killed　Medon　and　Iasus。　The　first　was　bastard　son
to　Oileus；　and　brother　to　Ajax；　but　he　lived　in　Phylace　away　from
his　own　country；　for　he　had　killed　a　man；　a　kinsman　of　his
stepmother　Eriopis　whom　Oileus　had　married。　Iasus　had　become　a
leader　of　the　Athenians；　and　was　son　of　Sphelus　the　son　of　Boucolos。
Polydamas　killed　Mecisteus；　and　Polites　Echius；　in　the　front　of　the
battle；　while　Agenor　slew　Clonius。　Paris　struck　Deiochus　from　behind
in　the　lower　part　of　the　shoulder；　as　he　was　flying　among　the
foremost；　and　the　point　of　the　spear　went　clean　through　him。
　　While　they　were　spoiling　these　heroes　of　their　armour；　the
Achaeans　were　flying　pellmell　to　the　trench　and　the　set　stakes；　and
were　forced　back　within　their　wall。　Hector　then　cried　out　to　the
Trojans；　〃Forward　to　the　ships；　and　let　the　spoils　be。　If　I　see　any
man　keeping　back　on　the　other　side　the　wall　away　from　the　ships　I　will
have　him　killed：　his　kinsmen　and　kinswomen　shall　not　give　him　his　dues
of　fire；　but　dogs　shall　tear　him　in　pieces　in　front　of　our　city。〃
　　As　he　spoke　he　laid　his　whip　about　his　horses'　shoulders　and
called　to　the　Trojans　throughout　their　ranks；　the　Trojans　shouted　with
a　cry　that　rent　the　air；　and　kept　their　horses　neck　and　neck　with
his　own。　Phoebus　Apollo　went　before；　and　kicked　down　the　banks　of
the　deep　trench　into　its　middle　so　as　to　make　a　great　broad　bridge；　as
broad　as　the　throw　of　a　spear　when　a　man　is　trying　his　strength。　The
Trojan　battalions　poured　over　the　bridge；　and　Apollo　with　his
redoubtable　aegis　led　the　way。　He　kicked　down　the　wall　of　the　Achaeans
as　easily　as　a　child　who　playing　on　the　sea…shore　has　built　a　house　of
sand　and　then　kicks　it　down　again　and　destroys　it…　even　so　did　you；
O　Apollo；　shed　toil　and　trouble　upon　the　Argives；　filling　them　with
panic　and　confusion。
　　Thus　then　were　the　Achaeans　hemmed　in　at　their　ships；　calling　out　to
one　another　and　raising　their　hands　with　loud　cries　every　man　to
heaven。　Nestor　of　Gerene；　tower　of　strength　to　the　Achaeans；　lifted　up
his　hands　to　the　starry　firmament　of　heaven；　and　prayed　more　fervently
than　any　of　them。　〃Father　Jove；〃　said　he；　〃if　ever　any　one　in
wheat…growing　Argos　burned　you　fat　thigh…bones　of　sheep　or　heifer
and　prayed　that　he　might　return　safely　home；　whereon　you　bowed　your
head　to　him　in　assent；　bear　it　in　mind　now；　and　suffer　not　the　Trojans
to　triumph　thus　over　the　Achaeans。〃
　　All　counselling　Jove　thundered　loudly　in　answer　to　die　prayer　of　the
aged　son　of　Neleus。　When　the　heard　Jove　thunder　they　flung
themselves　yet　more　fiercely　on　the　Achaeans。　As　a　wave　breaking
over　the　bulwarks　of　a　ship　when　the　sea　runs　high　before　a　gale…
for　it　is　the　force　of　the　wind　that　makes　the　waves　so　great…　even　so
did　the　Trojans　spring　over　the　wall　with　a　shout；　and　drive　their
chariots　onwards。　The　two　sides　fought　with　their　double…pointed
spe