the iliad(伊利亚特)-第65部分

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has　granted　you　the　prayer　you　made　him；　when　you　lifted　up　your　hands
and　besought　him　that　the　Achaeans　might　all　of　them　be　pent　up　at
their　ships；　and　rue　it　bitterly　in　that　you　were　no　longer　with
them。〃
　　Achilles　groaned　and　answered；　〃Mother；　Olympian　Jove　has　indeed
vouchsafed　me　the　fulfilment　of　my　prayer；　but　what　boots　it　to　me；
seeing　that　my　dear　comrade　Patroclus　has　fallen…　he　whom　I　valued
more　than　all　others；　and　loved　as　dearly　as　my　own　life？　I　have
lost　him；　aye；　and　Hector　when　he　had　killed　him　stripped　the　wondrous
armour；　so　glorious　to　behold；　which　the　gods　gave　to　Peleus　when　they
laid　you　in　the　couch　of　a　mortal　man。　Would　that　you　were　still
dwelling　among　the　immortal　sea…nymphs；　and　that　Peleus　had　taken　to
himself　some　mortal　bride。　For　now　you　shall　have　grief　infinite　by
reason　of　the　death　of　that　son　whom　you　can　never　welcome　home…
nay；　I　will　not　live　nor　go　about　among　mankind　unless　Hector　fall
by　my　spear；　and　thus　pay　me　for　having　slain　Patroclus　son　of
Menoetius。〃
　　Thetis　wept　and　answered；　〃Then；　my　son；　is　your　end　near　at　hand…
for　your　own　death　awaits　you　full　soon　after　that　of　Hector。〃
　　Then　said　Achilles　in　his　great　grief；　〃I　would　die　here　and　now；　in
that　I　could　not　save　my　comrade。　He　has　fallen　far　from　home；　and
in　his　hour　of　need　my　hand　was　not　there　to　help　him。　What　is　there
for　me？　Return　to　my　own　land　I　shall　not；　and　I　have　brought　no
saving　neither　to　Patroclus　nor　to　my　other　comrades　of　whom　so　many
have　been　slain　by　mighty　Hector；　I　stay　here　by　my　ships　a　bootless
burden　upon　the　earth；　I；　who　in　fight　have　no　peer　among　the
Achaeans；　though　in　council　there　are　better　than　I。　Therefore；　perish
strife　both　from　among　gods　and　men；　and　anger；　wherein　even　a
righteous　man　will　harden　his　heart…　which　rises　up　in　the　soul　of　a
man　like　smoke；　and　the　taste　thereof　is　sweeter　than　drops　of
honey。　Even　so　has　Agamemnon　angered　me。　And　yet…　so　be　it；　for　it
is　over；　I　will　force　my　soul　into　subjection　as　I　needs　must；　I
will　go；　I　will　pursue　Hector　who　has　slain　him　whom　I　loved　so
dearly；　and　will　then　abide　my　doom　when　it　may　please　Jove　and　the
other　gods　to　send　it。　Even　Hercules；　the　best　beloved　of　Jove…　even
he　could　not　escape　the　hand　of　death；　but　fate　and　Juno's　fierce
anger　laid　him　low；　as　I　too　shall　lie　when　I　am　dead　if　a　like　doom
awaits　me。　Till　then　I　will　win　fame；　and　will　bid　Trojan　and
Dardanian　women　wring　tears　from　their　tender　cheeks　with　both　their
hands　in　the　grievousness　of　their　great　sorrow；　thus　shall　they
know　that　he　who　has　held　aloof　so　long　will　hold　aloof　no　longer。
Hold　me　not　back；　therefore；　in　the　love　you　bear　me；　for　you　shall
not　move　me。〃
　　Then　silver…footed　Thetis　answered；　〃My　son；　what　you　have　said　is
true。　It　is　well　to　save　your　comrades　from　destruction；　but　your
armour　is　in　the　hands　of　the　Trojans；　Hector　bears　it　in　triumph　upon
his　own　shoulders。　Full　well　I　know　that　his　vaunt　shall　not　be
lasting；　for　his　end　is　close　at　hand；　go　not；　however；　into　the　press
of　battle　till　you　see　me　return　hither；　to…morrow　at　break　of　day　I
shall　be　here；　and　will　bring　you　goodly　armour　from　King　Vulcan。〃
　　On　this　she　left　her　brave　son；　and　as　she　turned　away　she　said　to
the　sea…nymphs　her　sisters；　〃Dive　into　the　bosom　of　the　sea　and　go
to　the　house　of　the　old　sea…god　my　father。　Tell　him　everything；　as　for
me；　I　will　go　to　the　cunning　workman　Vulcan　on　high　Olympus；　and　ask
him　to　provide　my　son　with　a　suit　of　splendid　armour。〃
　　When　she　had　so　said；　they　dived　forthwith　beneath　the　waves；
while　silver…footed　Thetis　went　her　way　that　she　might　bring　the
armour　for　her　son。
　　Thus；　then；　did　her　feet　bear　the　goddess　to　Olympus；　and
meanwhile　the　Achaeans　were　flying　with　loud　cries　before　murderous
Hector　till　they　reached　the　ships　and　the　Hellespont；　and　they
could　not　draw　the　body　of　Mars's　servant　Patroclus　out　of　reach　of
the　weapons　that　were　showered　upon　him；　for　Hector　son　of　Priam
with　his　host　and　horsemen　had　again　caught　up　to　him　like　the　flame
of　a　fiery　furnace；　thrice　did　brave　Hector　seize　him　by　the　feet；
striving　with　might　and　main　to　draw　him　away　and　calling　loudly　on
the　Trojans；　and　thrice　did　the　two　Ajaxes；　clothed　in　valour　as
with　a　garment；　beat　him　from　off　the　body；　but　all　undaunted　he　would
now　charge　into　the　thick　of　the　fight；　and　now　again　he　would　stand
still　and　cry　aloud；　but　he　would　give　no　ground。　As　upland
shepherds　that　cannot　chase　some　famished　lion　from　a　carcase；　even　so
could　not　the　two　Ajaxes　scare　Hector　son　of　Priam　from　the　body　of
Patroclus。
　　And　now　he　would　even　have　dragged　it　off　and　have　won
imperishable　glory；　had　not　Iris　fleet　as　the　wind；　winged　her　way
as　messenger　from　Olympus　to　the　son　of　Peleus　and　bidden　him　arm。　She
came　secretly　without　the　knowledge　of　Jove　and　of　the　other　gods；　for
Juno　sent　her；　and　when　she　had　got　close　to　him　she　said；　〃Up；　son　of
Peleus；　mightiest　of　all　mankind；　rescue　Patroclus　about　whom　this
fearful　fight　is　now　raging　by　the　ships。　Men　are　killing　one　another；
the　Danaans　in　defence　of　the　dead　body；　while　the　Trojans　are
trying　to　hale　it　away；　and　take　it　to　wind　Ilius：　Hector　is　the
most　furious　of　them　all；　he　is　for　cutting　the　head　from　the　body　and
fixing　it　on　the　stakes　of　the　wall。　Up；　then；　and　bide　here　no
longer；　shrink　from　the　thought　that　Patroclus　may　become　meat　for　the
dogs　of　Troy。　Shame　on　you；　should　his　body　suffer　any　kind　of
outrage。〃
　　And　Achilles　said；　〃Iris；　which　of　the　gods　was　it　that　sent　you
to　me？〃
　　Iris　answered；　〃It　was　Juno　the　royal　spouse　of　Jove；　but　the　son　of
Saturn　does　not　know　of　my　coming；　nor　yet　does　any　other　of　the
immortals　who　dwell　on　the　snowy　summits　of　Olympus。〃
　　Then　fleet　Achilles　answered　her　saying；　〃How　can　I　go　up　into　the
battle？　They　have　my　armour。　My　mother　forbade　me　to　arm　till　I　should
see　her　come；　for　she　promised　to　bring　me　goodly　armour　from
Vulcan；　I　know　no　man　whose　arms　I　can　put　on；　save　only　the　shield　of
Ajax　son　of　Telamon；　and　he　surely　must　be　fighting　in　the　front
rank　and　wielding　his　spear　about　the　body　of　dead　Patroclus。〃
　　Iris　said；　'We　know　that　your　armour　has　been　taken；　but　go　as　you
are；　go　to　the　deep　trench　and　show　yourelf　before　the　Trojans；　that
they　may　fear　you　and　cease　fighting。　Thus　will　the　fainting　sons　of
the　Achaeans　gain　some　brief　breathing…time；　which　in　battle　may
hardly　be。〃
　　Iris　left　him　when　she　had　so　spoken。　But　Achilles　dear　to　Jove
arose；　and　Minerva　flung　her　tasselled　aegis　round　his　strong
shoulders；　she　crowned　his　head　with　a　halo　of　golden　cloud　from　which
she　kindled　a　glow　of　gleaming　fire。　As　the　smoke　that　goes　up　into
heaven　from　some　city　that　is　being　beleaguered　on　an　island　far　out
at　sea…　all　day　long　do　men　sally　from　the　city　and　fight　their
hardest；　and　at　the　going　down　of　the　sun　the　line　of　beacon…fires
blazes　forth；　flaring　high　for　those　that　dwell　near　them　to　behold；
if　so　be　that　they　may　come　with　their　ships　and　succour　them…　even　so
did　the　light　flare　from　the　head　of　Achilles；　as　he　stood　by　the
trench；　going　beyond　the　wall…　but　he　aid　not　join　the　Achaeans　for　he
heeded　the　charge　which　his　mother　laid　upon　him。
　　There　did　he　stand　and　shout　aloud。　Minerva　also　raised　her　voice
from　afar；　and　spread　terror　unspeakable　among　the　Trojans。　Ringing　as
the　note　of　a　trumpet　that　sounds　alarm　then　the　foe　is　at　the　gates
of　a　city；　even　so　brazen　was　the　voice　of　the　son　of　Aeacus；　and　when
the　Trojans　heard　its　clarion　tones　they　were　dismayed；　the　horses
turned　back　with　their　chariots　for　they　boded　mischief；　and　their
drivers　were　awe…struck　by　the　steady　flame　which　the　grey…eyed
goddess　had　kindled　above　the　head　of　the　great　son　of　Peleus。
　　Thrice　did　Achilles　raise　his　loud　cry　as　he　stood　by　the　trench；
and　thrice　were　the　Trojans　and　their　brave　allies　thrown　into
confusion；　whereon　twelve　of　their　noblest　champions　fell　beneath
the　wheels　of　their　chariots　and　perished　by　their　own　spears。　The
Achaeans　to　their　great　joy　then　drew　Patroclus　out　of　reach　of　the
weapons；　and　laid　him　on　a　litter：　his　comrades　stood　mourning　round
him；　and　among　them　fleet　Achilles　who　wept　bitterly　as　he　saw　his
true　comrade　lying　dead　upon　his　bier。　He　had　sent　him　out　with　horses
and　chariots　into　battle；　but　his　return　he　was　not　to　welcome。
　　Then　Juno　sent　the　busy　sun；　loth　though　he　was；　into　the　waters
of　Oceanus；　so　he　set；　and　the　Achaeans　had　rest　from　the　tug　and
turmoil　of　war。
　　Now　the　Trojans　when　they　had　come　out　of　the　fight；　unyoked　their
horses　and　gathered　in　assembly　before　preparing　their　supper。　They
kept　their　feet；　nor　would　any　dare　to　sit　down；　for　fear　had　fallen
upon　them　all　because　Achilles　had　shown　himself　after　having　held
aloof　so　long　from　battle。　Polydamas　son　of　Panthous　was　first　to
speak；　a　man　of　judgement；　who　alone　among　them　could　look　both　before
and　after。　He　was　comrade　to　Hector；　and　they　had　been　born　upon　the
same　night；　with　all　sincerity　and　goodwill；　therefore；　he　addressed
them　thus：…
　　〃Look　to　it　well；　my　friends；　I　would　urge　you　to　go　back　now　to
your　city　and