the iliad(伊利亚特)-第58部分

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the　chariot　cracked　and　they　got　entangled　in　the　reins　through　the
fall　of　the　horse　that　was　yoked　along　with　them；　but　Automedon　knew
what　to　do；　without　the　loss　of　a　moment　he　drew　the　keen　blade　that
hung　by　his　sturdy　thigh　and　cut　the　third　horse　adrift；　whereon　the
other　two　righted　themselves；　and　pulling　hard　at　the　reins　again　went
together　into　battle。
　　Sarpedon　now　took　a　second　aim　at　Patroclus；　and　again　missed　him；
the　point　of　the　spear　passed　over　his　left　shoulder　without　hitting
him。　Patroclus　then　aimed　in　his　turn；　and　the　spear　sped　not　from　his
hand　in　vain；　for　he　hit　Sarpedon　just　where　the　midriff　surrounds　the
ever…beating　heart。　He　fell　like　some　oak　or　silver　poplar　or　tall
pine　to　which　woodmen　have　laid　their　axes　upon　the　mountains　to
make　timber　for　ship…building…　even　so　did　he　lie　stretched　at　full
length　in　front　of　his　chariot　and　horses；　moaning　and　clutching　at
the　blood…stained　dust。　As　when　a　lion　springs　with　a　bound　upon　a
herd　of　cattle　and　fastens　on　a　great　black　bull　which　dies
bellowing　in　its　clutches…　even　so　did　the　leader　of　the　Lycian
warriors　struggle　in　death　as　he　fell　by　the　hand　of　Patroclus。　He
called　on　his　trusty　comrade　and　said；　〃Glaucus；　my　brother；　hero
among　heroes；　put　forth　all　your　strength；　fight　with　might　and
main；　now　if　ever　quit　yourself　like　a　valiant　soldier。　First　go　about
among　the　Lycian　captains　and　bid　them　fight　for　Sarpedon；　then
yourself　also　do　battle　to　save　my　armour　from　being　taken。　My　name
will　haunt　you　henceforth　and　for　ever　if　the　Achaeans　rob　me　of　my
armour　now　that　I　have　fallen　at　their　ships。　Do　your　very　utmost
and　call　all　my　people　together。〃
　　Death　closed　his　eyes　as　he　spoke。　Patroclus　planted　his　heel　on　his
breast　and　drew　the　spear　from　his　body；　whereon　his　senses　came　out
along　with　it；　and　he　drew　out　both　spear…point　and　Sarpedon's　soul　at
the　same　time。　Hard　by　the　Myrmidons　held　his　snorting　steeds；　who
were　wild　with　panic　at　finding　themselves　deserted　by　their　lords。
　　Glaucus　was　overcome　with　grief　when　he　heard　what　Sarpedon　said；
for　he　could　not　help　him。　He　had　to　support　his　arm　with　his　other
hand；　being　in　great　pain　through　the　wound　which　Teucer's　arrow　had
given　him　when　Teucer　was　defending　the　wall　as　he；　Glaucus；　was
assailing　it。　Therefore　he　prayed　to　far…darting　Apollo　saying；
〃Hear　me　O　king　from　your　seat；　may　be　in　the　rich　land　of　Lycia；　or
may　be　in　Troy；　for　in　all　places　you　can　hear　the　prayer　of　one　who
is　in　distress；　as　I　now　am。　I　have　a　grievous　wound；　my　hand　is
aching　with　pain；　there　is　no　staunching　the　blood；　and　my　whole　arm
drags　by　reason　of　my　hurt；　so　that　I　cannot　grasp　my　sword　nor　go
among　my　foes　and　fight　them；　thou　our　prince；　Jove's　son　Sarpedon；　is
slain。　Jove　defended　not　his　son；　do　you；　therefore；　O　king；　heal　me
of　my　wound；　ease　my　pain　and　grant　me　strength　both　to　cheer　on　the
Lycians　and　to　fight　along　with　them　round　the　body　of　him　who　has
fallen。〃
　　Thus　did　he　pray；　and　Apollo　heard　his　prayer。　He　eased　his　pain；
staunched　the　black　blood　from　the　wound；　and　gave　him　new　strength。
Glaucus　perceived　this；　and　was　thankful　that　the　mighty　god　had
answered　his　prayer；　forthwith；　therefore；　he　went　among　the　Lycian
captains；　and　bade　them　come　to　fight　about　the　body　of　Sarpedon。　From
these　he　strode　on　among　the　Trojans　to　Polydamas　son　of　Panthous
and　Agenor；　he　then　went　in　search　of　Aeneas　and　Hector；　and　when　he
had　found　them　he　said；　〃Hector；　you　have　utterly　forgotten　your
allies；　who　languish　here　for　your　sake　far　from　friends　and　home
while　you　do　nothing　to　support　them。　Sarpedon　leader　of　the　Lycian
warriors　has　fallen…　he　who　was　at　once　the　right　and　might　of
Lycia；　Mars　has　laid　him　low　by　the　spear　of　Patroclus。　Stand　by
him；　my　friends；　and　suffer　not　the　Myrmidons　to　strip　him　of　his
armour；　nor　to　treat　his　body　with　contumely　in　revenge　for　all　the
Danaans　whom　we　have　speared　at　the　ships。〃
　　As　he　spoke　the　Trojans　were　plunged　in　extreme　and　ungovernable
grief；　for　Sarpedon；　alien　though　he　was；　had　been　one　of　the　main
stays　of　their　city；　both　as　having　much　people　with　him；　and
himself　the　foremost　among　them　all。　Led　by　Hector；　who　was　infuriated
by　the　fall　of　Sarpedon；　they　made　instantly　for　the　Danaans　with
all　their　might；　while　the　undaunted　spirit　of　Patroclus　son　of
Menoetius　cheered　on　the　Achaeans。　First　he　spoke　to　the　two　Ajaxes；
men　who　needed　no　bidding。　〃Ajaxes；〃　said　he；　〃may　it　now　please　you
to　show　youselves　the　men　you　have　always　been；　or　even　better…
Sarpedon　is　fallen…　he　who　was　first　to　overleap　the　wall　of　the
Achaeans；　let　us　take　the　body　and　outrage　it；　let　us　strip　the　armour
from　his　shoulders；　and　kill　his　comrades　if　they　try　to　rescue　his
body。〃
　　He　spoke　to　men　who　of　themselves　were　full　eager；　both　sides；
therefore；　the　Trojans　and　Lycians　on　the　one　hand；　and　the
Myrmidons　and　Achaeans　on　the　other；　strengthened　their　battalions；
and　fought　desperately　about　the　body　of　Sarpedon；　shouting　fiercely
the　while。　Mighty　was　the　din　of　their　armour　as　they　came　together；
and　Jove　shed　a　thick　darkness　over　the　fight；　to　increase　the　of
the　battle　over　the　body　of　his　son。
　　At　first　the　Trojans　made　some　headway　against　the　Achaeans；　for　one
of　the　best　men　among　the　Myrmidons　was　killed；　Epeigeus；　son　of　noble
Agacles　who　had　erewhile　been　king　in　the　good　city　of　Budeum；　but
presently；　having　killed　a　valiant　kinsman　of　his　own；　he　took
refuge　with　Peleus　and　Thetis；　who　sent　him　to　Ilius　the　land　of　noble
steeds　to　fight　the　Trojans　under　Achilles。　Hector　now　struck　him　on
the　head　with　a　stone　just　as　he　had　caught　hold　of　the　body；　and
his　brains　inside　his　helmet　were　all　battered　in；　so　that　he　fell
face　foremost　upon　the　body　of　Sarpedon；　and　there　died。　Patroclus　was
enraged　by　the　death　of　his　comrade；　and　sped　through　the　front
ranks　as　swiftly　as　a　hawk　that　swoops　down　on　a　flock　of　daws　or
starlings。　Even　so　swiftly；　O　noble　knight　Patroclus；　did　you　make
straight　for　the　Lycians　and　Trojans　to　avenge　your　comrade。　Forthwith
he　struck　Sthenelaus　the　son　of　Ithaemenes　on　the　neck　with　a　stone；
and　broke　the　tendons　that　join　it　to　the　head　and　spine。　On　this
Hector　and　the　front　rank　of　his　men　gave　ground。　As　far　as　a　man
can　throw　a　javelin　when　competing　for　some　prize；　or　even　in
battle…　so　far　did　the　Trojans　now　retreat　before　the　Achaeans。
Glaucus；　captain　of　the　Lycians；　was　the　first　to　rally　them；　by
killing　Bathycles　son　of　Chalcon　who　lived　in　Hellas　and　was　the
richest　man　among　the　Myrmidons。　Glaucus　turned　round　suddenly；　just
as　Bathycles　who　was　pursuing　him　was　about　to　lay　hold　of　him；　and
drove　his　spear　right　into　the　middle　of　his　chest；　whereon　he　fell
heavily　to　the　ground；　and　the　fall　of　so　good　a　man　filled　the
Achaeans　with　dismay；　while　the　Trojans　were　exultant；　and　came　up
in　a　body　round　the　corpse。　Nevertheless　the　Achaeans；　mindful　of
their　prowess；　bore　straight　down　upon　them。
　　Meriones　then　killed　a　helmed　warrior　of　the　Trojans；　Laogonus　son
of　Onetor；　who　was　priest　of　Jove　of　Mt。　Ida；　and　was　honoured　by
the　people　as　though　he　were　a　god。　Meriones　struck　him　under　the
jaw　and　ear；　so　that　life　went　out　of　him　and　the　darkness　of　death
laid　hold　upon　him。　Aeneas　then　aimed　a　spear　at　Meriones；　hoping　to
hit　him　under　the　shield　as　he　was　advancing；　but　Meriones　saw　it
coming　and　stooped　forward　to　avoid　it；　whereon　the　spear　flew　past
him　and　the　point　stuck　in　the　ground；　while　the　butt…end　went　on
quivering　till　Mars　robbed　it　of　its　force。　The　spear；　therefore；　sped
from　Aeneas's　hand　in　vain　and　fell　quivering　to　the　ground。　Aeneas
was　angry　and　said；　〃Meriones；　you　are　a　good　dancer；　but　if　I　had　hit
you　my　spear　would　soon　have　made　an　end　of　you。〃
　　And　Meriones　answered；　〃Aeneas；　for　all　your　bravery；　you　will　not
be　able　to　make　an　end　of　every　one　who　comes　against　you。　You　are
only　a　mortal　like　myself；　and　if　I　were　to　hit　you　in　the　middle　of
your　shield　with　my　spear；　however　strong　and　self…confident　you　may
be；　I　should　soon　vanquish　you；　and　you　would　yield　your　life　to　Hades
of　the　noble　steeds。〃
　　On　this　the　son　of　Menoetius　rebuked　him　and　said；　〃Meriones；　hero
though　you　be；　you　should　not　speak　thus；　taunting　speeches；　my　good
friend；　will　not　make　the　Trojans　draw　away　from　the　dead　body；　some
of　them　must　go　under　ground　first；　blows　for　battle；　and　words　for
council；　fight；　therefore；　and　say　nothing。〃
　　He　led　the　way　as　he　spoke　and　the　hero　went　forward　with　him。　As
the　sound　of　woodcutters　in　some　forest　glade　upon　the　mountains…
and　the　thud　of　their　axes　is　heard　afar…　even　such　a　din　now　rose
from　earth…clash　of　bronze　armour　and　of　good　ox…hide　shields；　as
men　smote　each　other　with　their　swords　and　spears　pointed　at　both
ends。　A　man　had　need　of　good　eyesight　now　to　know　Sarpedon；　so　covered
was　he　from　head　to　foot　with　spears　and　blood　and　dust。　Men　swarmed
about　the　body；　as　flies　that　buzz　round　the　full　milk…pails　in　spring
when　they　are　brimming　with　milk…　even　so　did　they　gather　round
Sarpedon；　nor　did　Jove　turn　his　keen　eyes　away　for　one　moment　from　the
fight；　but　kept　loo