the iliad(伊利亚特)-第54部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！

　　He　led　on　as　he　spoke；　and　the　hero　Melanippus　followed　after。
Meanwhile　Ajax　son　of　Telamon　was　cheering　on　the　Argives。　〃My
friends；〃　he　cried；　〃be　men；　and　fear　dishonour；　quit　yourselves　in
battle　so　as　to　win　respect　from　one　another。　Men　who　respect　each
other's　good　opinion　are　less　likely　to　be　killed　than　those　who　do
not；　but　in　flight　there　is　neither　gain　nor　glory。〃
　　Thus　did　he　exhort　men　who　were　already　bent　upon　driving　back　the
Trojans。　They　laid　his　words　to　heart　and　hedged　the　ships　as　with　a
wall　of　bronze；　while　Jove　urged　on　the　Trojans。　Menelaus　of　the
loud　battle…cry　urged　Antilochus　on。　〃Antilochus；〃　said　he；　〃you　are
young　and　there　is　none　of　the　Achaeans　more　fleet　of　foot　or　more
valiant　than　you　are。　See　if　you　cannot　spring　upon　some　Trojan　and
kill　him。〃
　　He　hurried　away　when　he　had　thus　spurred　Antilochus；　who　at　once
darted　out　from　the　front　ranks　and　aimed　a　spear；　after　looking
carefully　round　him。　The　Trojans　fell　back　as　he　threw；　and　the　dart
did　not　speed　from　his　hand　without　effect；　for　it　struck　Melanippus
the　proud　son　of　Hiketaon　in　the　breast　by　the　nipple　as　he　was　coming
forward；　and　his　armour　rang　rattling　round　him　as　he　fell　heavily
to　the　ground。　Antilochus　sprang　upon　him　as　a　dog　springs　on　a　fawn
which　a　hunter　has　hit　as　it　was　breaking　away　from　its　covert；　and
killed　it。　Even　so；　O　Melanippus；　did　stalwart　Antilochus　spring
upon　you　to　strip　you　of　your　armour；　but　noble　Hector　marked　him；　and
came　running　up　to　him　through　the　thick　of　the　battle。　Antilochus；
brave　soldier　though　he　was；　would　not　stay　to　face　him；　but　fled　like
some　savage　creature　which　knows　it　has　done　wrong；　and　flies；　when　it
has　killed　a　dog　or　a　man　who　is　herding　his　cattle；　before　a　body
of　men　can　be　gathered　to　attack　it。　Even　so　did　the　son　of　Nestor
fly；　and　the　Trojans　and　Hector　with　a　cry　that　rent　the　air
showered　their　weapons　after　him；　nor　did　he　turn　round　and　stay　his
flight　till　he　had　reached　his　comrades。
　　The　Trojans；　fierce　as　lions；　were　still　rushing　on　towards　the
ships　in　fulfilment　of　the　behests　of　Jove　who　kept　spurring　them　on
to　new　deeds　of　daring；　while　he　deadened　the　courage　of　the　Argives
and　defeated　them　by　encouraging　the　Trojans。　For　he　meant　giving
glory　to　Hector　son　of　Priam；　and　letting　him　throw　fire　upon　the
ships；　till　he　had　fulfilled　the　unrighteous　prayer　that　Thetis　had
made　him；　Jove；　therefore；　bided　his　time　till　he　should　see　the　glare
of　a　blazing　ship。　From　that　hour　he　was　about　so　to　order　that　the
Trojans　should　be　driven　back　from　the　ships　and　to　vouchsafe　glory　to
the　Achaeans。　With　this　purpose　he　inspired　Hector　son　of　Priam；　who
was　cager　enough　already；　to　assail　the　ships。　His　fury　was　as　that　of
Mars；　or　as　when　a　fire　is　raging　in　the　glades　of　some　dense　forest
upon　the　mountains；　he　foamed　at　the　mouth；　his　eyes　glared　under
his　terrible　eye…brows；　and　his　helmet　quivered　on　his　temples　by
reason　of　the　fury　with　which　he　fought。　Jove　from　heaven　was　with
him；　and　though　he　was　but　one　against　many；　vouchsafed　him　victory
and　glory；　for　he　was　doomed　to　an　early　death；　and　already　Pallas
Minerva　was　hurrying　on　the　hour　of　his　destruction　at　the　hands　of
the　son　of　Peleus。　Now；　however；　he　kept　trying　to　break　the　ranks
of　the　enemy　wherever　he　could　see　them　thickest；　and　in　the　goodliest
armour；　but　do　what　he　might　he　could　not　break　through　them；　for　they
stood　as　a　tower　foursquare；　or　as　some　high　cliff　rising　from　the
grey　sea　that　braves　the　anger　of　the　gale；　and　of　the　waves　that
thunder　up　against　it。　He　fell　upon　them　like　flames　of　fire　from
every　quarter。　As　when　a　wave；　raised　mountain　high　by　wind　and　storm；
breaks　over　a　ship　and　covers　it　deep　in　foam；　the　fierce　winds　roar
against　the　mast；　the　hearts　of　the　sailors　fail　them　for　fear；　and
they　are　saved　but　by　a　very　little　from　destruction…　even　so　were　the
hearts　of　the　Achaeans　fainting　within　them。　Or　as　a　savage　lion
attacking　a　herd　of　cows　while　they　are　feeding　by　thousands　in　the
low…lying　meadows　by　some　wide…watered　shore…　the　herdsman　is　at　his
wit's　end　how　to　protect　his　herd　and　keeps　going　about　now　in　the　van
and　now　in　the　rear　of　his　cattle；　while　the　lion　springs　into　the
thick　of　them　and　fastens　on　a　cow　so　that　they　all　tremble　for
fear…　even　so　were　the　Achaeans　utterly　panic…stricken　by　Hector　and
father　Jove。　Nevertheless　Hector　only　killed　Periphetes　of　Mycenae；　he
was　son　of　Copreus　who　was　wont　to　take　the　orders　of　King
Eurystheus　to　mighty　Hercules；　but　the　son　was　a　far　better　man　than
the　father　in　every　way；　he　was　fleet　of　foot；　a　valiant　warrior；
and　in　understanding　ranked　among　the　foremost　men　of　Mycenae。　He　it
was　who　then　afforded　Hector　a　triumph；　for　as　he　was　turning　back
he　stumbled　against　the　rim　of　his　shield　which　reached　his　feet；
and　served　to　keep　the　javelins　off　him。　He　tripped　against　this　and
fell　face　upward；　his　helmet　ringing　loudly　about　his　head　as　he　did
so。　Hector　saw　him　fall　and　ran　up　to　him；　he　then　thrust　a　spear　into
his　chest；　and　killed　him　close　to　his　own　comrades。　These；　for　all
their　sorrow；　could　not　help　him　for　they　were　themselves　terribly
afraid　of　Hector。
　　They　had　now　reached　the　ships　and　the　prows　of　those　that　had
been　drawn　up　first　were　on　every　side　of　them；　but　the　Trojans　came
pouring　after　them。　The　Argives　were　driven　back　from　the　first　row　of
ships；　but　they　made　a　stand　by　their　tents　without　being　broken　up
and　scattered；　shame　and　fear　restrained　them。　They　kept　shouting
incessantly　to　one　another；　and　Nestor　of　Gerene；　tower　of　strength　to
the　Achaeans；　was　loudest　in　imploring　every　man　by　his　parents；　and
beseeching　him　to　stand　firm。
　　〃Be　men；　my　friends；〃　he　cried；　〃and　respect　one　another's　good
opinion。　Think；　all　of　you；　on　your　children；　your　wives；　your
property；　and　your　parents　whether　these　be　alive　or　dead。　On　their
behalf　though　they　are　not　here；　I　implore　you　to　stand　firm；　and
not　to　turn　in　flight。〃
　　With　these　words　he　put　heart　and　soul　into　them　all。　Minerva　lifted
the　thick　veil　of　darkness　from　their　eyes；　and　much　light　fell　upon
them；　alike　on　the　side　of　the　ships　and　on　that　where　the　fight　was
raging。　They　could　see　Hector　and　all　his　men；　both　those　in　the
rear　who　were　taking　no　part　in　the　battle；　and　those　who　were
fighting　by　the　ships。
　　Ajax　could　not　bring　himself　to　retreat　along　with　the　rest；　but
strode　from　deck　to　deck　with　a　great　sea…pike　in　his　hands　twelve
cubits　long　and　jointed　with　rings。　As　a　man　skilled　in　feats　of
horsemanship　couples　four　horses　together　and　comes　tearing　full　speed
along　the　public　way　from　the　country　into　some　large　town…　many
both　men　and　women　marvel　as　they　see　him　for　he　keeps　all　the　time
changing　his　horse；　springing　from　one　to　another　without　ever　missing
his　feet　while　the　horses　are　at　a　gallop…　even　so　did　Ajax　go
striding　from　one　ship's　deck　to　another；　and　his　voice　went　up　into
the　heavens。　He　kept　on　shouting　his　orders　to　the　Danaans　and
exhorting　them　to　defend　their　ships　and　tents；　neither　did　Hector
remain　within　the　main　body　of　the　Trojan　warriors；　but　as　a　dun　eagle
swoops　down　upon　a　flock　of　wild…fowl　feeding　near　a　river…geese；　it
may　be；　or　cranes；　or　long…necked　swans…　even　so　did　Hector　make
straight　for　a　dark…prowed　ship；　rushing　right　towards　it；　for　Jove
with　his　mighty　hand　impelled　him　forward；　and　roused　his　people　to
follow　him。
　　And　now　the　battle　again　raged　furiously　at　the　ships。　You　would
have　thought　the　men　were　coming　on　fresh　and　unwearied；　so　fiercely
did　they　fight；　and　this　was　the　mind　in　which　they　were…　the　Achaeans
did　not　believe　they　should　escape　destruction　but　thought
themselves　doomed；　while　there　was　not　a　Trojan　but　his　heart　beat
high　with　the　hope　of　firing　the　ships　and　putting　the　Achaean
heroes　to　the　sword。
　　Thus　were　the　two　sides　minded。　Then　Hector　seized　the　stern　of
the　good　ship　that　had　brought　Protesilaus　to　Troy；　but　never　bore　him
back　to　his　native　land。　Round　this　ship　there　raged　a　close
hand…to…hand　fight　between　Danaans　and　Trojans。　They　did　not　fight
at　a　distance　with　bows　and　javelins；　but　with　one　mind　hacked　at
one　another　in　close　combat　with　their　mighty　swords　and　spears
pointed　at　both　ends；　they　fought　moreover　with　keen　battle…axes　and
with　hatchets。　Many　a　good　stout　blade　hilted　and　scabbarded　with
iron；　fell　from　hand　or　shoulder　as　they　fought；　and　the　earth　ran　red
with　blood。　Hector；　when　he　had　seized　the　ship；　would　not　loose　his
hold　but　held　on　to　its　curved　stern　and　shouted　to　the　Trojans；
〃Bring　fire；　and　raise　the　battle…cry　all　of　you　with　a　single
voice。　Now　has　Jove　vouchsafed　us　a　day　that　will　pay　us　for　all　the
rest；　this　day　we　shall　take　the　ships　which　came　hither　against
heaven's　will；　and　which　have　caused　us　such　infinite　suffering
through　the　cowardice　of　our　councillors；　who　when　I　would　have　done
battle　at　the　ships　held　me　back　and　forbade　the　host　to　follow　me；　if
Jove　did　then　indeed　warp　our　judgements；　himself　now　commands　me
and　cheers　me　on。〃
　　As　he　spoke　thus　the　Trojans　sprang　yet　more　fiercely　on　the
Achaeans；　and　Aj