iliad10-第44部分

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the　gods；　the　thundering　spouse　of　Juno；　has　indeed　inspired　my
onset。〃

With　these　words　he　put　heart　and　soul　into　them　all。　Deiphobus
son　of　Priam　went　about　among　them　intent　on　deeds　of　daring　with
his　round　shield　before　him；　under　cover　of　which　he　strode
quickly　forward。　Meriones　took　aim　at　him　with　a　spear；　nor　did
he　fail　to　hit　the　broad　orb　of　ox…hide；　but　he　was　far　from
piercing　it　for　the　spear　broke　in　two　pieces　long　ere　he　could
do　so；　moreover　Deiphobus　had　seen　it　ing　and　had　held　his
shield　well　away　from　him。　Meriones　drew　back　under　cover　of　his
rades；　angry　alike　at　having　failed　to　vanquish　Deiphobus；　and
having　broken　his　spear。　He　turned　therefore　towards　the　ships
and　tents　to　fetch　a　spear　which　he　had　left　behind　in　his　tent。

The　others　continued　fighting；　and　the　cry　of　battle　rose　up　into
the　heavens。　Teucer　son　of　Telamon　was　the　first　to　kill　his　man；
to　wit；　the　warrior　Imbrius；　son　of　Mentor；　rich　in　horses。
Until　the　Achaeans　came　he　had　lived　in　Pedaeum；　and　had　married
Medesicaste；　a　bastard　daughter　of　Priam；　but　on　the　arrival　of
the　Danaan　fleet　he　had　gone　back　to　Ilius；　and　was　a　great　man
among　the　Trojans；　dwelling　near　Priam　himself；　who　gave　him　like
honour　with　his　own　sons。　The　son　of　Telamon　now　struck　him　under
the　ear　with　a　spear　which　he　then　drew　back　again；　and　Imbrius
fell　headlong　as　an　ash…tree　when　it　is　felled　on　the　crest　of
some　high　mountain　beacon；　and　its　delicate　green　foliage　es
toppling　down　to　the　ground。　Thus　did　he　fall　with　his
bronze…dight　armour　ringing　harshly　round　him；　and　Teucer　sprang
forward　with　intent　to　strip　him　of　his　armour；　but　as　he　was
doing　so；　Hector　took　aim　at　him　with　a　spear。　Teucer　saw　the
spear　ing　and　swerved　aside；　whereon　it　hit　Amphimachus；　son
of　Cteatus　son　of　Actor；　in　the　chest　as　he　was　ing　into
battle；　and　his　armour　rang　rattling　round　him　as　he　fell　heavily
to　the　ground。　Hector　sprang　forward　to　take　Amphimachus's　helmet
from　off　his　temples；　and　in　a　moment　Ajax　threw　a　spear　at　him；
but　did　not　wound　him；　for　he　was　encased　all　over　in　his
terrible　armour；　nevertheless　the　spear　struck　the　boss　of　his
shield　with　such　force　as　to　drive　him　back　from　the　two　corpses；
which　the　Achaeans　then　drew　off。　Stichius　and　Menestheus；
captains　of　the　Athenians；　bore　away　Amphimachus　to　the　host　of
the　Achaeans；　while　the　two　brave　and　impetuous　Ajaxes　did　the
like　by　Imbrius。　As　two　lions　snatch　a　goat　from　the　hounds　that
have　it　in　their　fangs；　and　bear　it　through　thick　brushwood　high
above　the　ground　in　their　jaws；　thus　did　the　Ajaxes　bear　aloft
the　body　of　Imbrius；　and　strip　it　of　its　armour。　Then　the　son　of
Oileus　severed　the　head　from　the　neck　in　revenge　for　the　death　of
Amphimachus；　and　sent　it　whirling　over　the　crowd　as　though　it　had
been　a　ball；　till　it　fell　in　the　dust　at　Hector's　feet。

Neptune　was　exceedingly　angry　that　his　grandson　Amphimachus
should　have　fallen；　he　therefore　went　to　the　tents　and　ships　of
the　Achaeans　to　urge　the　Danaans　still　further；　and　to　devise
evil　for　the　Trojans。　Idomeneus　met　him；　as　he　was　taking　leave
of　a　rade；　who　had　just　e　to　him　from　the　fight；　wounded　in
the　knee。　His　fellow…soldiers　bore　him　off　the　field；　and
Idomeneus　having　given　orders　to　the　physicians　went　on　to　his
tent；　for　he　was　still　thirsting　for　battle。　Neptune　spoke　in　the
likeness　and　with　the　voice　of　Thoas　son　of　Andraemon　who　ruled
the　Aetolians　of　all　Pleuron　and　high　Calydon；　and　was　honoured
among　his　people　as　though　he　were　a　god。　〃Idomeneus；〃　said　he；
〃lawgiver　to　the　Cretans；　what　has　now　bee　of　the　threats　with
which　the　sons　of　the　Achaeans　used　to　threaten　the　Trojans？〃

And　Idomeneus　chief　among　the　Cretans　answered；　〃Thoas；　no　one；
so　far　as　I　know；　is　in　fault；　for　we　can　all　fight。　None　are
held　back　neither　by　fear　nor　slackness；　but　it　seems　to　be　the
will　of　almighty　Jove　that　the　Achaeans　should　perish
ingloriously　here　far　from　Argos：　you；　Thoas；　have　been　always
staunch；　and　you　keep　others　in　heart　if　you　see　any　fail　in
duty；　be　not　then　remiss　now；　but　exhort　all　to　do　their　utmost。〃

To　this　Neptune　lord　of　the　earthquake　made　answer；　〃Idomeneus；
may　he　never　return　from　Troy；　but　remain　here　for　dogs　to　batten
upon；　who　is　this　day　wilfully　slack　in　fighting。　Get　your　armour
and　go；　we　must　make　all　haste　together　if　we　may　be　of　any　use；
though　we　are　only　two。　Even　cowards　gain　courage　from
panionship；　and　we　two　can　hold　our　own　with　the　bravest。〃

Therewith　the　god　went　back　into　the　thick　of　the　fight；　and
Idomeneus　when　he　had　reached　his　tent　donned　his　armour；　grasped
his　two　spears；　and　sallied　forth。　As　the　lightning　which　the　son
of　Saturn　brandishes　from　bright　Olympus　when　he　would　show　a
sign　to　mortals；　and　its　gleam　flashes　far　and　wideeven　so　did
his　armour　gleam　about　him　as　he　ran。　Meriones　his　sturdy　squire
met　him　while　he　was　still　near　his　tent　（for　he　was　going　to
fetch　his　spear）　and　Idomeneus　said：

〃Meriones；　fleet　son　of　Molus；　best　of　rades；　why　have　you
left　the　field？　Are　you　wounded；　and　is　the　point　of　the　weapon
hurting　you？　or　have　you　been　sent　to　fetch　me？　I　want　no
fetching；　I　had　far　rather　fight　than　stay　in　my　tent。〃

〃Idomeneus；〃　answered　Meriones；　〃I　e　for　a　spear；　if　I　can
find　one　in　my　tent；　I　have　broken　the　one　I　had；　in　throwing　it
at　the　shield　of　Deiphobus。〃

And　Idomeneus　captain　of　the　Cretans　answered；　〃You　will　find　one
spear；　or　twenty　if　you　so　please；　standing　up　against　the　end
wall　of　my　tent。　I　have　taken　them　from　Trojans　whom　I　have
killed；　for　I　am　not　one　to　keep　my　enemy　at　arm's　length；
therefore　I　have　spears；　bossed　shields；　helmets；　and　burnished
corslets。〃

Then　Meriones　said；　〃I　too　in　my　tent　and　at　my　ship　have　spoils
taken　from　the　Trojans；　but　they　are　not　at　hand。　I　have　been　at
all　times　valorous；　and　wherever　there　has　been　hard　fighting
have　held　my　own　among　the　foremost。　There　may　be　those　among　the
Achaeans　who　do　not　know　how　I　fight；　but　you　know　it　well　enough
yourself。〃

Idomeneus　answered；　〃I　know　you　for　a　brave　man：　you　need　not
tell　me。　If　the　best　men　at　the　ships　were　being　chosen　to　go　on
an　ambushand　there　is　nothing　like　this　for　showing　what　a　man
is　made　of；　it　es　out　then　who　is　cowardly　and　who　brave；　the
coward　will　change　colour　at　every　touch　and　turn；　he　is　full　of
fears；　and　keeps　shifting　his　weight　first　on　one　knee　and　then
on　the　other；　his　heart　beats　fast　as　he　thinks　of　death；　and　one
can　hear　the　chattering　of　his　teeth；　whereas　the　brave　man　will
not　change　colour　nor　be　frightened　on　finding　himself　in　ambush；
but　is　all　the　time　longing　to　go　into　actionif　the　best　men
were　being　chosen　for　such　a　service；　no　one　could　make　light　of
your　courage　nor　feats　of　arms。　If　you　were　struck　by　a　dart　or
smitten　in　close　bat；　it　would　not　be　from　behind；　in　your
neck　nor　back；　but　the　weapon　would　hit　you　in　the　chest　or　belly
as　you　were　pressing　forward　to　a　place　in　the　front　ranks。　But
let　us　no　longer　stay　here　talking　like　children；　lest　we　be　ill
spoken　of；　go；　fetch　your　spear　from　the　tent　at　once。〃

On　this　Meriones；　peer　of　Mars；　went　to　the　tent　and　got　himself
a　spear　of　bronze。　He　then　followed　after　Idomeneus；　big　with
great　deeds　of　valour。　As　when　baneful　Mars　sallies　forth　to
battle；　and　his　son　Panic　so　strong　and　dauntless　goes　with　him；
to　strike　terror　even　into　the　heart　of　a　herothe　pair　have
gone　from　Thrace　to　arm　themselves　among　the　Ephyri　or　the　brave
Phlegyans；　but　they　will　not　listen　to　both　the　contending　hosts；
and　will　give　victory　to　one　side　or　to　the　othereven　so　did
Meriones　and　Idomeneus；　captains　of　men；　go　out　to　battle　clad　in
their　bronze　armour。　Meriones　was　first　to　speak。　〃Son　of
Deucalion；〃　said　he；　〃where　would　you　have　us　begin　fighting？　On
the　right　wing　of　the　host；　in　the　centre；　or　on　the　left　wing；
where　I　take　it　the　Achaeans　will　be　weakest？〃

Idomeneus　answered；　〃There　are　others　to　defend　the　centrethe
two　Ajaxes　and　Teucer；　who　is　the　finest　archer　of　all　the
Achaeans；　and　is　good　also　in　a　hand…to…hand　fight。　These　will
give　Hector　son　of　Priam　enough　to　do；　fight　as　he　may；　he　will
find　it　hard　to　vanquish　their　indomitable　fury；　and　fire　the
ships；　unless　the　son　of　Saturn　fling　a　firebrand　upon　them　with
his　own　hand。　Great　Ajax　son　of　Telamon　will　yield　to　no　man　who
is　in　mortal　mould　and　eats　the　grain　of　Ceres；　if　bronze　and
great　stones　can　overthrow　him。　He　would　not　yield　even　to
Achilles　in　hand…to…hand　fight；　and　in　fleetness　of　foot　there　is
none　to　beat　him；　let　us　turn　therefore　towards　the　left　wing；
that　we　may　know　forthwith　whether　we　are　to　give　glory　to　some
other；　or　he　to　us。〃

Meriones；　peer　of　fleet　Mars；　then　led　the　way　till　they　came　to
the　part　of　the　host　which　Idomeneus　had　named。

Now　when　the　Trojans　saw　Idomeneus　ing　on　like　a　flame　of
fire；　him　and　his　squire　clad　in　their　richly　wrought　armour；
they　shouted　and　made　towards　him　all　in　a　body；　and　a　furious
hand…to…hand　fight　raged　under　the　ships'　sterns。　Fierce　as　the
shrill　winds　that　whistle　upon　a　day　when　dust　lies　deep　on　the
roads；　and　the　gusts　raise　it　into　a　thick　cloudeven