iliad10-第54部分

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Dolops　was　versed　in　all　the　ways　of　war。　He　then　struck　the
middle　of　the　son　of　Phyleus'　shield　with　his　spear；　setting　on
him　at　close　quarters；　but　his　good　corslet　made　with　plates　of
metal　saved　him；　Phyleus　had　brought　it　from　Ephyra　and　the　river
Selleis；　where　his　host；　King　Euphetes；　had　given　it　him　to　wear
in　battle　and　protect　him。　It　now　served　to　save　the　life　of　his
son。　Then　Meges　struck　the　topmost　crest　of　Dolops's　bronze
helmet　with　his　spear　and　tore　away　its　plume　of　horse…hair；　so
that　all　newly　dyed　with　scarlet　as　it　was　it　tumbled　down　into
the　dust。　While　he　was　still　fighting　and　confident　of　victory；
Menelaus　came　up　to　help　Meges；　and　got　by　the　side　of　Dolops
unperceived；　he　then　speared　him　in　the　shoulder；　from　behind；
and　the　point；　driven　so　furiously；　went　through　into　his　chest；
whereon　he　fell　headlong。　The　two　then　made　towards　him　to　strip
him　of　his　armour；　but　Hector　called　on　all　his　brothers　for
help；　and　he　especially　upbraided　brave　Melanippus　son　of
Hiketaon；　who　erewhile　used　to　pasture　his　herds　of　cattle　in
Percote　before　the　war　broke　out；　but　when　the　ships　of　the
Danaans　came；　he　went　back　to　Ilius；　where　he　was　eminent　among
the　Trojans；　and　lived　near　Priam　who　treated　him　as　one　of　his
own　sons。　Hector　now　rebuked　him　and　said；　〃Why；　Melanippus；　are
we　thus　remiss？　do　you　take　no　note　of　the　death　of　your　kinsman；
and　do　you　not　see　how　they　are　trying　to　take　Dolops's　armour？
Follow　me；　there　must　be　no　fighting　the　Argives　from　a　distance
now；　but　we　must　do　so　in　close　bat　till　either　we　kill　them
or　they　take　the　high　wall　of　Ilius　and　slay　her　people。〃

He　led　on　as　he　spoke；　and　the　hero　Melanippus　followed　after。
Meanwhile　Ajax　son　of　Telamon　was　cheering　on　the　Argives。　〃My
friends；〃　he　cried；　〃be　men；　and　fear　dishonour；　quit　yourselves
in　battle　so　as　to　win　respect　from　one　another。　Men　who　respect
each　other's　good　opinion　are　less　likely　to　be　killed　than　those
who　do　not；　but　in　flight　there　is　neither　gain　nor　glory。〃

Thus　did　he　exhort　men　who　were　already　bent　upon　driving　back
the　Trojans。　They　laid　his　words　to　heart　and　hedged　the　ships　as
with　a　wall　of　bronze；　while　Jove　urged　on　the　Trojans。　Menelaus
of　the　loud　battle…cry　urged　Antilochus　on。　〃Antilochus；〃　said
he；　〃you　are　young　and　there　is　none　of　the　Achaeans　more　fleet
of　foot　or　more　valiant　than　you　are。　See　if　you　cannot　spring
upon　some　Trojan　and　kill　him。〃

He　hurried　away　when　he　had　thus　spurred　Antilochus；　who　at　once
darted　out　from　the　front　ranks　and　aimed　a　spear；　after　looking
carefully　round　him。　The　Trojans　fell　back　as　he　threw；　and　the
dart　did　not　speed　from　his　hand　without　effect；　for　it　struck
Melanippus　the　proud　son　of　Hiketaon　in　the　breast　by　the　nipple
as　he　was　ing　forward；　and　his　armour　rang　rattling　round　him
as　he　fell　heavily　to　the　ground。　Antilochus　sprang　upon　him　as　a
dog　springs　on　a　fawn　which　a　hunter　has　hit　as　it　was　breaking
away　from　its　covert；　and　killed　it。　Even　so；　O　Melanippus；　did
stalwart　Antilochus　spring　upon　you　to　strip　you　of　your　armour；
but　noble　Hector　marked　him；　and　came　running　up　to　him　through
the　thick　of　the　battle。　Antilochus；　brave　soldier　though　he　was；
would　not　stay　to　face　him；　but　fled　like　some　savage　creature
which　knows　it　has　done　wrong；　and　flies；　when　it　has　killed　a
dog　or　a　man　who　is　herding　his　cattle；　before　a　body　of　men　can
be　gathered　to　attack　it。　Even　so　did　the　son　of　Nestor　fly；　and
the　Trojans　and　Hector　with　a　cry　that　rent　the　air　showered
their　weapons　after　him；　nor　did　he　turn　round　and　stay　his
flight　till　he　had　reached　his　rades。

The　Trojans；　fierce　as　lions；　were　still　rushing　on　towards　the
ships　in　fulfilment　of　the　behests　of　Jove　who　kept　spurring　them
on　to　new　deeds　of　daring；　while　he　deadened　the　courage　of　the
Argives　and　defeated　them　by　encouraging　the　Trojans。　For　he
meant　giving　glory　to　Hector　son　of　Priam；　and　letting　him　throw
fire　upon　the　ships；　till　he　had　fulfilled　the　unrighteous　prayer
that　Thetis　had　made　him；　Jove；　therefore；　bided　his　time　till　he
should　see　the　glare　of　a　blazing　ship。　From　that　hour　he　was
about　so　to　order　that　the　Trojans　should　be　driven　back　from　the
ships　and　to　vouchsafe　glory　to　the　Achaeans。　With　this　purpose
he　inspired　Hector　son　of　Priam；　who　was　cager　enough　already；　to
assail　the　ships。　His　fury　was　as　that　of　Mars；　or　as　when　a　fire
is　raging　in　the　glades　of　some　dense　forest　upon　the　mountains；
he　foamed　at　the　mouth；　his　eyes　glared　under　his　terrible
eye…brows；　and　his　helmet　quivered　on　his　temples　by　reason　of
the　fury　with　which　he　fought。　Jove　from　heaven　was　with　him；　and
though　he　was　but　one　against　many；　vouchsafed　him　victory　and
glory；　for　he　was　doomed　to　an　early　death；　and　already　Pallas
Minerva　was　hurrying　on　the　hour　of　his　destruction　at　the　hands
of　the　son　of　Peleus。　Now；　however；　he　kept　trying　to　break　the
ranks　of　the　enemy　wherever　he　could　see　them　thickest；　and　in
the　goodliest　armour；　but　do　what　he　might　he　could　not　break
through　them；　for　they　stood　as　a　tower　foursquare；　or　as　some
high　cliff　rising　from　the　grey　sea　that　braves　the　anger　of　the
gale；　and　of　the　waves　that　thunder　up　against　it。　He　fell　upon
them　like　flames　of　fire　from　every　quarter。　As　when　a　wave；
raised　mountain　high　by　wind　and　storm；　breaks　over　a　ship　and
covers　it　deep　in　foam；　the　fierce　winds　roar　against　the　mast；
the　hearts　of　the　sailors　fail　them　for　fear；　and　they　are　saved
but　by　a　very　little　from　destructioneven　so　were　the　hearts　of
the　Achaeans　fainting　within　them。　Or　as　a　savage　lion　attacking
a　herd　of　cows　while　they　are　feeding　by　thousands　in　the
low…lying　meadows　by　some　wide…watered　shorethe　herdsman　is　at
his　wit's　end　how　to　protect　his　herd　and　keeps　going　about　now
in　the　van　and　now　in　the　rear　of　his　cattle；　while　the　lion
springs　into　the　thick　of　them　and　fastens　on　a　cow　so　that　they
all　tremble　for　feareven　so　were　the　Achaeans　utterly
panic…stricken　by　Hector　and　father　Jove。　Nevertheless　Hector
only　killed　Periphetes　of　Mycenae；　he　was　son　of　Copreus　who　was
wont　to　take　the　orders　of　King　Eurystheus　to　mighty　Hercules；
but　the　son　was　a　far　better　man　than　the　father　in　every　way；　he
was　fleet　of　foot；　a　valiant　warrior；　and　in　understanding　ranked
among　the　foremost　men　of　Mycenae。　He　it　was　who　then　afforded
Hector　a　triumph；　for　as　he　was　turning　back　he　stumbled　against
the　rim　of　his　shield　which　reached　his　feet；　and　served　to　keep
the　javelins　off　him。　He　tripped　against　this　and　fell　face
upward；　his　helmet　ringing　loudly　about　his　head　as　he　did　so。
Hector　saw　him　fall　and　ran　up　to　him；　he　then　thrust　a　spear
into　his　chest；　and　killed　him　close　to　his　own　rades。　These；
for　all　their　sorrow；　could　not　help　him　for　they　were　themselves
terribly　afraid　of　Hector。

They　had　now　reached　the　ships　and　the　prows　of　those　that　had
been　drawn　up　first　were　on　every　side　of　them；　but　the　Trojans
came　pouring　after　them。　The　Argives　were　driven　back　from　the
first　row　of　ships；　but　they　made　a　stand　by　their　tents　without
being　broken　up　and　scattered；　shame　and　fear　restrained　them。
They　kept　shouting　incessantly　to　one　another；　and　Nestor　of
Gerene；　tower　of　strength　to　the　Achaeans；　was　loudest　in
imploring　every　man　by　his　parents；　and　beseeching　him　to　stand
firm。

〃Be　men；　my　friends；〃　he　cried；　〃and　respect　one　another's　good
opinion。　Think；　all　of　you；　on　your　children；　your　wives；　your
property；　and　your　parents　whether　these　be　alive　or　dead。　On
their　behalf　though　they　are　not　here；　I　implore　you　to　stand
firm；　and　not　to　turn　in　flight。〃

With　these　words　he　put　heart　and　soul　into　them　all。　Minerva
lifted　the　thick　veil　of　darkness　from　their　eyes；　and　much　light
fell　upon　them；　alike　on　the　side　of　the　ships　and　on　that　where
the　fight　was　raging。　They　could　see　Hector　and　all　his　men；　both
those　in　the　rear　who　were　taking　no　part　in　the　battle；　and
those　who　were　fighting　by　the　ships。

Ajax　could　not　bring　himself　to　retreat　along　with　the　rest；　but
strode　from　deck　to　deck　with　a　great　sea…pike　in　his　hands
twelve　cubits　long　and　jointed　with　rings。　As　a　man　skilled　in
feats　of　horsemanship　couples　four　horses　together　and　es
tearing　full　speed　along　the　public　way　from　the　country　into
some　large　townmany　both　men　and　women　marvel　as　they　see　him
for　he　keeps　all　the　time　changing　his　horse；　springing　from　one
to　another　without　ever　missing　his　feet　while　the　horses　are　at
a　gallopeven　so　did　Ajax　go　striding　from　one　ship's　deck　to
another；　and　his　voice　went　up　into　the　heavens。　He　kept　on
shouting　his　orders　to　the　Danaans　and　exhorting　them　to　defend
their　ships　and　tents；　neither　did　Hector　remain　within　the　main
body　of　the　Trojan　warriors；　but　as　a　dun　eagle　swoops　down　upon
a　flock　of　wild…fowl　feeding　near　a　river…geese；　it　may　be；　or
cranes；　or　long…necked　swanseven　so　did　Hector　make　straight
for　a　dark…prowed　ship；　rushing　right　towards　it；　for　Jove　with
his　mighty　hand　impelled　him　forward；　and　roused　his　people　to
follow　him。

And　now　the　battle　again　raged　furiously　at　the　ships。　You　would
have　thought　the　men　were　in