the iliad(伊利亚特)-第83部分

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horse's　tail　touch　the　tyre　of　the　wheel；　and　there　is　never　much
space　between　wheel　and　horse　when　the　chariot　is　going；　Menelaus
was　no　further　than　this　behind　Antilochus；　though　at　first　he　had
been　a　full　disc's　throw　behind　him。　He　had　soon　caught　him　up
again；　for　Agamemnon's　mare　Aethe　kept　pulling　stronger　and
stronger；　so　that　if　the　course　had　been　longer　he　would　have　passed
him；　and　there　would　not　even　have　been　a　dead　heat。　Idomeneus's　brave
squire　Meriones　was　about　a　spear's　cast　behind　Menelaus。　His　horses
were　slowest　of　all；　and　he　was　the　worst　driver。　Last　of　them　all
came　the　son　of　Admetus；　dragging　his　chariot　and　driving　his　horses
on　in　front。　When　Achilles　saw　him　he　was　sorry；　and　stood　up　among
the　Argives　saying；　〃The　best　man　is　coming　in　last。　Let　us　give　him　a
prize　for　it　is　reasonable。　He　shall　have　the　second；　but　the　first
must　go　to　the　son　of　Tydeus。〃
　　Thus　did　he　speak　and　the　others　all　of　them　applauded　his　saying；
and　were　for　doing　as　he　had　said；　but　Nestor's　son　Antilochus　stood
up　and　claimed　his　rights　from　the　son　of　Peleus。　〃Achilles；〃　said　he；
〃I　shall　take　it　much　amiss　if　you　do　this　thing；　you　would　rob　me
of　my　prize；　because　you　think　Eumelus's　chariot　and　horses　were
thrown　out；　and　himself　too；　good　man　that　he　is。　He　should　have
prayed　duly　to　the　immortals；　he　would　not　have　come　in　fast　if　he　had
done　so。　If　you　are　sorry　for　him　and　so　choose；　you　have　much　gold　in
your　tents；　with　bronze；　sheep；　cattle　and　horses。　Take　something　from
this　store　if　you　would　have　the　Achaeans　speak　well　of　you；　and
give　him　a　better　prize　even　than　that　which　you　have　now　offered；　but
I　will　not　give　up　the　mare；　and　he　that　will　fight　me　for　her；　let
him　come　on。〃
　　Achilles　smiled　as　he　heard　this；　and　was　pleased　with　Antilochus；
who　was　one　of　his　dearest　comrades。　So　he　said…
　　〃Antilochus；　if　you　would　have　me　find　Eumelus　another　prize；　I　will
give　him　the　bronze　breastplate　with　a　rim　of　tin　running　all　round　it
which　I　took　from　Asteropaeus。　It　will　be　worth　much　money　to　him。〃
　　He　bade　his　comrade　Automedon　bring　the　breastplate　from　his　tent；
and　he　did　so。　Achilles　then　gave　it　over　to　Eumelus；　who　received
it　gladly。
　　But　Menelaus　got　up　in　a　rage；　furiously　angry　with　Antilochus。　An
attendant　placed　his　staff　in　his　hands　and　bade　the　Argives　keep
silence：　the　hero　then　addressed　them。　〃Antilochus；〃　said　he；　〃what　is
this　from　you　who　have　been　so　far　blameless？　You　have　made　me　cut　a
poor　figure　and　baulked　my　horses　by　flinging　your　own　in　front　of
them；　though　yours　are　much　worse　than　mine　are；　therefore；　O
princes　and　counsellors　of　the　Argives；　judge　between　us　and　show　no
favour；　lest　one　of　the　Achaeans　say；　'Menelaus　has　got　the　mare
through　lying　and　corruption；　his　horses　were　far　inferior　to
Antilochus's；　but　he　has　greater　weight　and　influence。'　Nay；　I　will
determine　the　matter　myself；　and　no　man　will　blame　me；　for　I　shall
do　what　is　just。　Come　here；　Antilochus；　and　stand；　as　our　custom　is；
whip　in　hand　before　your　chariot　and　horses；　lay　your　hand　on　your
steeds；　and　swear　by　earth…encircling　Neptune　that　you　did　not
purposely　and　guilefully　get　in　the　way　of　my　horses。〃
　　And　Antilochus　answered；　〃Forgive　me；　I　am　much　younger；　King
Menelaus；　than　you　are；　you　stand　higher　than　I　do　and　are　the
better　man　of　the　two；　you　know　how　easily　young　men　are　betrayed　into
indiscretion；　their　tempers　are　more　hasty　and　they　have　less
judgement；　make　due　allowances　therefore；　and　bear　with　me；　I　will
of　my　own　accord　give　up　the　mare　that　I　have　won；　and　if　you　claim
any　further　chattel　from　my　own　possessions；　I　would　rather　yield　it
to　you；　at　once；　than　fall　from　your　good　graces　henceforth；　and　do
wrong　in　the　sight　of　heaven。〃
　　The　son　of　Nestor　then　took　the　mare　and　gave　her　over　to
Menelaus；　whose　anger　was　thus　appeased；　as　when　dew　falls　upon　a
field　of　ripening　corn；　and　the　lands　are　bristling　with　the
harvest…　even　so；　O　Menelaus；　was　your　heart　made　glad　within　you。
He　turned　to　Antilochus　and　said；　〃Now；　Antilochus；　angry　though　I
have　been；　I　can　give　way　to　you　of　my　own　free　will；　you　have　never
been　headstrong　nor　ill…disposed　hitherto；　but　this　time　your　youth
has　got　the　better　of　your　judgement；　be　careful　how　you　outwit　your
betters　in　future；　no　one　else　could　have　brought　me　round　so
easily；　but　your　good　father；　your　brother；　and　yourself　have　all　of
you　had　infinite　trouble　on　my　behalf；　I　therefore　yield　to　your
entreaty；　and　will　give　up　the　mare　to　you；　mine　though　it　indeed
be；　the　people　will　thus　see　that　I　am　neither　harsh　nor　vindictive。〃
　　With　this　he　gave　the　mare　over　to　Antilochus's　comrade　Noemon；
and　then　took　the　cauldron。　Meriones；　who　had　come　in　fourth；
carried　off　the　two　talents　of　gold；　and　the　fifth　prize；　the
two…handled　urn；　being　unawarded；　Achilles　gave　it　to　Nestor；　going　up
to　him　among　the　assembled　Argives　and　saying；　〃Take　this；　my　good　old
friend；　as　an　heirloom　and　memorial　of　the　funeral　of　Patroclus…　for
you　shall　see　him　no　more　among　the　Argives。　I　give　you　this　prize
though　you　cannot　win　one；　you　can　now　neither　wrestle　nor　fight；
and　cannot　enter　for　the　javelin…match　nor　foot…races；　for　the　hand　of
age　has　been　laid　heavily　upon　you。〃
　　So　saying　he　gave　the　urn　over　to　Nestor；　who　received　it　gladly　and
answered；　〃My　son；　all　that　you　have　said　is　true；　there　is　no
strength　now　in　my　legs　and　feet；　nor　can　I　hit　out　with　my　hands　from
either　shoulder。　Would　that　I　were　still　young　and　strong　as　when
the　Epeans　were　burying　King　Amarynceus　in　Buprasium；　and　his　sons
offered　prizes　in　his　honour。　There　was　then　none　that　could　vie
with　me　neither　of　the　Epeans　nor　the　Pylians　themselves　nor　the
Aetolians。　In　boxing　I　overcame　Clytomedes　son　of　Enops；　and　in
wrestling；　Ancaeus　of　Pleuron　who　had　come　forward　against　me。
Iphiclus　was　a　good　runner；　but　I　beat　him；　and　threw　farther　with
my　spear　than　either　Phyleus　or　Polydorus。　In　chariot…racing　alone　did
the　two　sons　of　Actor　surpass　me　by　crowding　their　horses　in　front
of　me；　for　they　were　angry　at　the　way　victory　had　gone；　and　at　the
greater　part　of　the　prizes　remaining　in　the　place　in　which　they　had
been　offered。　They　were　twins；　and　the　one　kept　on　holding　the
reins；　and　holding　the　reins；　while　the　other　plied　the　whip。　Such　was
I　then；　but　now　I　must　leave　these　matters　to　younger　men；　I　must
bow　before　the　weight　of　years；　but　in　those　days　I　was　eminent
among　heroes。　And　now；　sir；　go　on　with　the　funeral　contests　in
honour　of　your　comrade：　gladly　do　I　accept　this　urn；　and　my　heart
rejoices　that　you　do　not　forget　me　but　are　ever　mindful　of　my　goodwill
towards　you；　and　of　the　respect　due　to　me　from　the　Achaeans。　For　all
which　may　the　grace　of　heaven　be　vouchsafed　you　in　great　abundance。〃
　　Thereon　the　son　of　Peleus；　when　he　had　listened　to　all　the　thanks　of
Nestor；　went　about　among　the　concourse　of　the　Achaeans；　and
presently　offered　prizes　for　skill　in　the　painful　art　of　boxing。　He
brought　out　a　strong　mule；　and　made　it　fast　in　the　middle　of　the
crowd…　a　she…mule　never　yet　broken；　but　six　years　old…　　when　it　is
hardest　of　all　to　break　them：　this　was　for　the　victor；　and　for　the
vanquished　he　offered　a　double　cup。　Then　he　stood　up　and　said　among
the　Argives；　〃Son　of　Atreus；　and　all　other　Achaeans；　I　invite　our
two　champion　boxers　to　lay　about　them　lustily　and　compete　for　these
prizes。　He　to　whom　Apollo　vouchsafes　the　greater　endurance；　and　whom
the　Achaeans　acknowledge　as　victor；　shall　take　the　mule　back　with
him　to　his　own　tent；　while　he　that　is　vanquished　shall　have　the　double
cup。〃
　　As　he　spoke　there　stood　up　a　champion　both　brave　and　great
stature；　a　skilful　boxer；　Epeus；　son　of　Panopeus。　He　laid　his　hand
on　the　mule　and　said；　〃Let　the　man　who　is　to　have　the　cup　come　hither；
for　none　but　myself　will　take　the　mule。　I　am　the　best　boxer　of　all
here　present；　and　none　can　beat　me。　Is　it　not　enough　that　I　should
fall　short　of　you　in　actual　fighting？　Still；　no　man　can　be　good　at
everything。　I　tell　you　plainly；　and　it　shall　come　true；　if　any　man
will　box　with　me　I　will　bruise　his　body　and　break　his　bones；　therefore
let　his　friends　stay　here　in　a　body　and　be　at　hand　to　take　him　away
when　I　have　done　with　him。〃
　　They　all　held　their　peace；　and　no　man　rose　save　Euryalus　son　of
Mecisteus；　who　was　son　of　Talaus。　Mecisteus　went　once　to　Thebes
after　the　fall　of　Oedipus；　to　attend　his　funeral；　and　he　beat　all
the　people　of　Cadmus。　The　son　of　Tydeus　was　Euryalus's　second；
cheering　him　on　and　hoping　heartily　that　he　would　win。　First　he　put
a　waistband　round　him　and　then　he　gave　him　some　well…cut　thongs　of
ox…hide；　the　two　men　being　now　girt　went　into　the　middle　of　the
ring；　and　immediately　fell　to；　heavily　indeed　did　they　punish　one
another　and　lay　about　them　with　their　brawny　fists。　One　could　hear　the
horrid　crashing　of　their　jaws；　and　they　sweated　from　every　pore　of
their　skin。　Presently　Epeus　came　on　and　gave　Euryalus　a　blow　on　the
jaw　as　he　was　looking　round；　Euryalus　could　not　keep　his　legs；　they
gave　way　under　him　in　a　moment　and　he　sprang　up　with　a　bound；　as　a
fish　leaps　into　the　air　near　some　shore　that　is　all　bestr