the iliad(伊利亚特)-第66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！

them　thus：…
　　〃Look　to　it　well；　my　friends；　I　would　urge　you　to　go　back　now　to
your　city　and　not　wait　here　by　the　ships　till　morning；　for　we　are
far　from　our　walls。　So　long　as　this　man　was　at　enmity　with　Agamemnon
the　Achaeans　were　easier　to　deal　with；　and　I　would　have　gladly
camped　by　the　ships　in　the　hope　of　taking　them；　but　now　I　go　in
great　fear　of　the　fleet　son　of　Peleus；　he　is　so　daring　that　he　will
never　bide　here　on　the　plain　whereon　the　Trojans　and　Achaeans　fight
with　equal　valour；　but　he　will　try　to　storm　our　city　and　carry　off　our
women。　Do　then　as　I　say；　and　let　us　retreat。　For　this　is　what　will
happen。　The　darkness　of　night　will　for　a　time　stay　the　son　of
Peleus；　but　if　he　find　us　here　in　the　morning　when　he　sallies　forth　in
full　armour；　we　shall　have　knowledge　of　him　in　good　earnest。　Glad
indeed　will　he　be　who　can　escape　and　get　back　to　Ilius；　and　many　a
Trojan　will　become　meat　for　dogs　and　vultures　may　I　never　live　to　hear
it。　If　we　do　as　I　say；　little　though　we　may　like　it；　we　shall　have
strength　in　counsel　during　the　night；　and　the　great　gates　with　the
doors　that　close　them　will　protect　the　city。　At　dawn　we　can　arm　and
take　our　stand　on　the　walls；　he　will　then　rue　it　if　he　sallies　from
the　ships　to　fight　us。　He　will　go　back　when　he　has　given　his　horses
their　fill　of　being　driven　all　whithers　under　our　walls；　and　will　be
in　no　mind　to　try　and　force　his　way　into　the　city。　Neither　will　he
ever　sack　it；　dogs　shall　devour　him　ere　he　do　so。〃
　　Hector　looked　fiercely　at　him　and　answered；　〃Polydamas；　your　words
are　not　to　my　liking　in　that　you　bid　us　go　back　and　be　pent　within　the
city。　Have　you　not　had　enough　of　being　cooped　up　behind　walls？　In
the　old…days　the　city　of　Priam　was　famous　the　whole　world　over　for　its
wealth　of　gold　and　bronze；　but　our　treasures　are　wasted　out　of　our
houses；　and　much　goods　have　been　sold　away　to　Phrygia　and　fair　Meonia；
for　the　hand　of　Jove　has　been　laid　heavily　upon　us。　Now；　therefore；
that　the　son　of　scheming　Saturn　has　vouchsafed　me　to　win　glory　here
and　to　hem　the　Achaeans　in　at　their　ships；　prate　no　more　in　this
fool's　wise　among　the　people。　You　will　have　no　man　with　you；　it
shall　not　be；　do　all　of　you　as　I　now　say；…　take　your　suppers　in　your
companies　throughout　the　host；　and　keep　your　watches　and　be　wakeful
every　man　of　you。　If　any　Trojan　is　uneasy　about　his　possessions；　let
him　gather　them　and　give　them　out　among　the　people。　Better　let
these；　rather　than　the　Achaeans；　have　them。　At　daybreak　we　will　arm
and　fight　about　the　ships；　granted　that　Achilles　has　again　come
forward　to　defend　them；　let　it　be　as　he　will；　but　it　shall　go　hard
with　him。　I　shall　not　shun　him；　but　will　fight　him；　to　fall　or
conquer。　The　god　of　war　deals　out　like　measure　to　all；　and　the
slayer　may　yet　be　slain。〃
　　Thus　spoke　Hector；　and　the　Trojans；　fools　that　they　were；　shouted　in
applause；　for　Pallas　Minerva　had　robbed　them　of　their　understanding。
They　gave　ear　to　Hector　with　his　evil　counsel；　but　the　wise　words　of
Polydamas　no　man　would　heed。　They　took　their　supper　throughout　the
host；　and　meanwhile　through　the　whole　night　the　Achaeans　mourned
Patroclus；　and　the　son　of　Peleus　led　them　in　their　lament。　He　laid　his
murderous　hands　upon　the　breast　of　his　comrade；　groaning　again　and
again　as　a　bearded　lion　when　a　man　who　was　chasing　deer　has　robbed　him
of　his　young　in　some　dense　forest；　when　the　lion　comes　back　he　is
furious；　and　searches　dingle　and　dell　to　track　the　hunter　if　he　can
find　him；　for　he　is　mad　with　rage…　even　so　with　many　a　sigh　did
Achilles　speak　among　the　Myrmidons　saying；　〃Alas！　vain　were　the
words　with　which　I　cheered　the　hero　Menoetius　in　his　own　house；　I　said
that　I　would　bring　his　brave　son　back　again　to　Opoeis　after　he　had
sacked　Ilius　and　taken　his　share　of　the　spoils…　but　Jove　does　not　give
all　men　their　heart's　desire。　The　same　soil　shall　be　reddened　here
at　Troy　by　the　blood　of　us　both；　for　I　too　shall　never　be　welcomed
home　by　the　old　knight　Peleus；　nor　by　my　mother　Thetis；　but　even　in
this　place　shall　the　earth　cover　me。　Nevertheless；　O　Patroclus；　now
that　I　am　left　behind　you；　I　will　not　bury　you；　till　I　have　brought
hither　the　head　and　armour　of　mighty　Hector　who　has　slain　you。
Twelve　noble　sons　of　Trojans　will　I　behead　before　your　bier　to
avenge　you；　till　I　have　done　so　you　shall　lie　as　you　are　by　the　ships；
and　fair　women　of　Troy　and　Dardanus；　whom　we　have　taken　with　spear　and
strength　of　arm　when　we　sacked　men's　goodly　cities；　shall　weep　over
you　both　night　and　day。〃
　　Then　Achilles　told　his　men　to　set　a　large　tripod　upon　the　fire
that　they　might　wash　the　clotted　gore　from　off　Patroclus。　Thereon　they
set　a　tripod　full　of　bath　water　on　to　a　clear　fire：　they　threw
sticks　on　to　it　to　make　it　blaze；　and　the　water　became　hot　as　the
flame　played　about　the　belly　of　the　tripod。　When　the　water　in　the
cauldron　was　boiling　they　washed　the　body；　anointed　it　with　oil；　and
closed　its　wounds　with　ointment　that　had　been　kept　nine　years。　Then
they　laid　it　on　a　bier　and　covered　it　with　a　linen　cloth　from　head
to　foot；　and　over　this　they　laid　a　fair　white　robe。　Thus　all　night
long　did　the　Myrmidons　gather　round　Achilles　to　mourn　Patroclus。
　　Then　Jove　said　to　Juno　his　sister…wife；　〃So；　Queen　Juno；　you　have
gained　your　end；　and　have　roused　fleet　Achilles。　One　would　think
that　the　Achaeans　were　of　your　own　flesh　and　blood。〃
　　And　Juno　answered；　〃Dread　son　of　Saturn；　why　should　you　say　this
thing？　May　not　a　man　though　he　be　only　mortal　and　knows　less　than　we
do；　do　what　he　can　for　another　person？　And　shall　not　I…　foremost　of
all　goddesses　both　by　descent　and　as　wife　to　you　who　reign　in
heaven…　devise　evil　for　the　Trojans　if　I　am　angry　with　them？〃
　　Thus　did　they　converse。　Meanwhile　Thetis　came　to　the　house　of
Vulcan；　imperishable；　star…bespangled；　fairest　of　the　abodes　in
heaven；　a　house　of　bronze　wrought　by　the　lame　god's　own　hands。　She
found　him　busy　with　his　bellows；　sweating　and　hard　at　work；　for　he　was
making　twenty　tripods　that　were　to　stand　by　the　wall　of　his　house；　and
he　set　wheels　of　gold　under　them　all　that　they　might　go　of　their　own
selves　to　the　assemblies　of　the　gods；　and　come　back　again…　marvels
indeed　to　see。　They　were　finished　all　but　the　ears　of　cunning
workmanship　which　yet　remained　to　be　fixed　to　them：　these　he　was　now
fixing；　and　he　was　hammering　at　the　rivets。　While　he　was　thus　at
work　silver…footed　Thetis　came　to　the　house。　Charis；　of　graceful
head…dress；　wife　to　the　far…famed　lame　god；　came　towards　her　as　soon
as　she　saw　her；　and　took　her　hand　in　her　own；　saying；　〃Why　have　you
come　to　our　house；　Thetis；　honoured　and　ever　welcome…　for　you　do　not
visit　us　often？　Come　inside　and　let　me　set　refreshment　before　you。〃
　　The　goddess　led　the　way　as　she　spoke；　and　bade　Thetis　sit　on　a
richly　decorated　seat　inlaid　with　silver；　there　was　a　footstool　also
under　her　feet。　Then　she　called　Vulcan　and　said；　〃Vulcan；　come　here；
Thetis　wants　you〃；　and　the　far…famed　lame　god　answered；　〃Then　it　is
indeed　an　august　and　honoured　goddess　who　has　come　here；　she　it　was
that　took　care　of　me　when　I　was　suffering　from　the　heavy　fall　which
I　had　through　my　cruel　mother's　anger…　for　she　would　have　got　rid　of
me　because　I　was　lame。　It　would　have　gone　hardly　with　me　had　not
Eurynome；　daughter　of　the　ever…encircling　waters　of　Oceanus；　and
Thetis；　taken　me　to　their　bosom。　Nine　years　did　I　stay　with　them；
and　many　beautiful　works　in　bronze；　brooches；　spiral　armlets；　cups；
and　chains；　did　I　make　for　them　in　their　cave；　with　the　roaring　waters
of　Oceanus　foaming　as　they　rushed　ever　past　it；　and　no　one　knew；
neither　of　gods　nor　men；　save　only　Thetis　and　Eurynome　who　took　care
of　me。　If；　then；　Thetis　has　come　to　my　house　I　must　make　her　due
requital　for　having　saved　me；　entertain　her；　therefore；　with　all
hospitality；　while　I　put　by　my　bellows　and　all　my　tools。〃
　　On　this　the　mighty　monster　hobbled　off　from　his　anvil；　his　thin　legs
plying　lustily　under　him。　He　set　the　bellows　away　from　the　fire；　and
gathered　his　tools　into　a　silver　chest。　Then　he　took　a　sponge　and
washed　his　face　and　hands；　his　shaggy　chest　and　brawny　neck；　he　donned
his　shirt；　grasped　his　strong　staff；　and　limped　towards　the　door。
There　were　golden　handmaids　also　who　worked　for　him；　and　were　like
real　young　women；　with　sense　and　reason；　voice　also　and　strength；
and　all　the　learning　of　the　immortals；　these　busied　themselves　as
the　king　bade　them；　while　he　drew　near　to　Thetis；　seated　her　upon　a
goodly　seat；　and　took　her　hand　in　his　own；　saying；　〃Why　have　you
come　to　our　house；　Thetis　honoured　and　ever　welcome…　for　you　do　not
visit　us　often？　Say　what　you　want；　and　I　will　do　it　for　you　at　once　if
I　can；　and　if　it　can　be　done　at　all。〃
　　Thetis　wept　and　answered；　〃Vulcan；　is　there　another　goddess　in
Olympus　whom　the　son　of　Saturn　has　been　pleased　to　try　with　so　much
affliction　as　he　has　me？　Me　alone　of　the　marine　goddesses　did　he
make　subject　to　a　mortal　husband；　Peleus　son　of　Aeacus；　and　sorely
against　my　will　did　I　submit　to　the　embraces　of　one　who　was　but
mortal；　and　who　now　stays　at　home　worn　out　with　age。　Neither　is　this
all。　Heaven　vouchsafed　me　a　son；　hero　among　heroes；　and　he　shot　up
as　a　sapling。　I　tended　him　as　a　plant　in