iliad10-第55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！


And　now　the　battle　again　raged　furiously　at　the　ships。　You　would
have　thought　the　men　were　ing　on　fresh　and　unwearied；　so
fiercely　did　they　fight；　and　this　was　the　mind　in　which　they
werethe　Achaeans　did　not　believe　they　should　escape　destruction
but　thought　themselves　doomed；　while　there　was　not　a　Trojan　but
his　heart　beat　high　with　the　hope　of　firing　the　ships　and　putting
the　Achaean　heroes　to　the　sword。

Thus　were　the　two　sides　minded。　Then　Hector　seized　the　stern　of
the　good　ship　that　had　brought　Protesilaus　to　Troy；　but　never
bore　him　back　to　his　native　land。　Round　this　ship　there　raged　a
close　hand…to…hand　fight　between　Danaans　and　Trojans。　They　did
not　fight　at　a　distance　with　bows　and　javelins；　but　with　one　mind
hacked　at　one　another　in　close　bat　with　their　mighty　swords
and　spears　pointed　at　both　ends；　they　fought　moreover　with　keen
battle…axes　and　with　hatchets。　Many　a　good　stout　blade　hilted　and
scabbarded　with　iron；　fell　from　hand　or　shoulder　as　they　fought；
and　the　earth　ran　red　with　blood。　Hector；　when　he　had　seized　the
ship；　would　not　loose　his　hold　but　held　on　to　its　curved　stern
and　shouted　to　the　Trojans；　〃Bring　fire；　and　raise　the　battle…cry
all　of　you　with　a　single　voice。　Now　has　Jove　vouchsafed　us　a　day
that　will　pay　us　for　all　the　rest；　this　day　we　shall　take　the
ships　which　came　hither　against　heaven's　will；　and　which　have
caused　us　such　infinite　suffering　through　the　cowardice　of　our
councillors；　who　when　I　would　have　done　battle　at　the　ships　held
me　back　and　forbade　the　host　to　follow　me；　if　Jove　did　then
indeed　warp　our　judgements；　himself　now　mands　me　and　cheers　me
on。〃

As　he　spoke　thus　the　Trojans　sprang　yet　more　fiercely　on　the
Achaeans；　and　Ajax　no　longer　held　his　ground；　for　he　was　overe
by　the　darts　that　were　flung　at　him；　and　made　sure　that　he　was
doomed。　Therefore　he　left　the　raised　deck　at　the　stern；　and
stepped　back　on　to　the　seven…foot　bench　of　the　oarsmen。　Here　he
stood　on　the　look…out；　and　with　his　spear　held　back　Trojan　whom
he　saw　bringing　fire　to　the　ships。　All　the　time　he　kept　on
shouting　at　the　top　of　his　voice　and　exhorting　the　Danaans。　〃My
friends；〃　he　cried；　〃Danaan　heroes；　servants　of　Mars；　be　men　my
friends；　and　fight　with　might　and　with　main。　Can　we　hope　to　find
helpers　hereafter；　or　a　wall　to　shield　us　more　surely　than　the
one　we　have？　There　is　no　strong　city　within　reach；　whence　we　may
draw　fresh　forces　to　turn　the　scales　in　our　favour。　We　are　on　the
plain　of　the　armed　Trojans　with　the　sea　behind　us；　and　far　from
our　own　country。　Our　salvation；　therefore；　is　in　the　might　of　our
hands　and　in　hard　fighting。〃

As　he　spoke　he　wielded　his　spear　with　still　greater　fury；　and
when　any　Trojan　made　towards　the　ships　with　fire　at　Hector's
bidding；　he　would　be　on　the　look…out　for　him；　and　drive　at　him
with　his　long　spear。　Twelve　men　did　he　thus　kill　in　hand…to…hand
fight　before　the　ships。



BOOK　XVI

　　Fire　being　now　thrown　on　the　ship　of　Protesilaus；　Patroclus
　　fights　in　the　armour　of　AchillesHe　drives　the　Trojans　back；
　　but　is　in　the　end　killed　by　Euphorbus　and　Hector。

THUS　did　they　fight　about　the　ship　of　Protesilaus。　Then　Patroclus
drew　near　to　Achilles　with　tears　welling　from　his　eyes；　as　from
some　spring　whose　crystal　stream　falls　over　the　ledges　of　a　high
precipice。　When　Achilles　saw　him　thus　weeping　he　was　sorry　for
him　and　said；　〃Why；　Patroclus；　do　you　stand　there　weeping　like
some　silly　child　that　es　running　to　her　mother；　and　begs　to　be
taken　up　and　carriedshe　catches　hold　of　her　mother's　dress　to
stay　her　though　she　is　in　a　hurry；　and　looks　tearfully　up　until
her　mother　carries　hereven　such　tears；　Patroclus；　are　you　now
shedding。　Have　you　anything　to　say　to　the　Myrmidons　or　to　myself？
or　have　you　had　news　from　Phthia　which　you　alone　know？　They　tell
me　Menoetius　son　of　Actor　is　still　alive；　as　also　Peleus　son　of
Aeacus；　among　the　Myrmidonsmen　whose　loss　we　two　should
bitterly　deplore；　or　are　you　grieving　about　the　Argives　and　the
way　in　which　they　are　being　killed　at　the　ships；　through　their
own　high…handed　doings？　Do　not　hide　anything　from　me　but　tell　me
that　both　of　us　may　know　about　it。〃

Then；　O　knight　Patroclus；　with　a　deep　sigh　you　answered；
〃Achilles；　son　of　Peleus；　foremost　champion　of　the　Achaeans；　do
not　be　angry；　but　I　weep　for　the　disaster　that　has　now　befallen
the　Argives。　All　those　who　have　been　their　champions　so　far　are
lying　at　the　ships；　wounded　by　sword　or　spear。　Brave　Diomed　son
of　Tydeus　has　been　hit　with　a　spear；　while　famed　Ulysses　and
Agamemnon　have　received　sword…wounds；　Eurypylus　again　has　been
struck　with　an　arrow　in　the　thigh；　skilled　apothecaries　are
attending　to　these　heroes；　and　healing　them　of　their　wounds；　are
you　still；　O　Achilles；　so　inexorable？　May　it　never　be　my　lot　to
nurse　such　a　passion　as　you　have　done；　to　the　baning　of　your　own
good　name。　Who　in　future　story　will　speak　well　of　you　unless　you
now　save　the　Argives　from　ruin？　You　know　no　pity；　knight　Peleus
was　not　your　father　nor　Thetis　your　mother；　but　the　grey　sea　bore
you　and　the　sheer　cliffs　begot　you；　so　cruel　and　remorseless　are
you。　If　however　you　are　kept　back　through　knowledge　of　some
oracle；　or　if　your　mother　Thetis　has　told　you　something　from　the
mouth　of　Jove；　at　least　send　me　and　the　Myrmidons　with　me；　if　I
may　bring　deliverance　to　the　Danaans。　Let　me　moreover　wear　your
armour；　the　Trojans　may　thus　mistake　me　for　you　and　quit　the
field；　so　that　the　hard…pressed　sons　of　the　Achaeans　may　have
breathing　timewhich　while　they　are　fighting　may　hardly　be。　We
who　are　fresh　might　soon　drive　tired　men　back　from　our　ships　and
tents　to　their　own　city。〃

He　knew　not　what　he　was　asking；　nor　that　he　was　suing　for　his　own
destruction。　Achilles　was　deeply　moved　and　answered；　〃What；　noble
Patroclus；　are　you　saying？　I　know　no　prophesyings　which　I　am
heeding；　nor　has　my　mother　told　me　anything　from　the　mouth　of
Jove；　but　I　am　cut　to　the　very　heart　that　one　of　my　own　rank
should　dare　to　rob　me　because　he　is　more　powerful　than　I　am。
This；　after　all　that　I　have　gone　through；　is　more　than　I　can
endure。　The　girl　whom　the　sons　of　the　Achaeans　chose　for　me；　whom
I　won　as　the　fruit　of　my　spear　on　having　sacked　a　cityher　has
King　Agamemnon　taken　from　me　as　though　I　were　some　mon
vagrant。　Still；　let　bygones　be　bygones：　no　man　may　keep　his　anger
for　ever；　I　said　I　would　not　relent　till　battle　and　the　cry　of
war　had　reached　my　own　ships；　nevertheless；　now　gird　my　armour
about　your　shoulders；　and　lead　the　Myrmidons　to　battle；　for　the
dark　cloud　of　Trojans　has　burst　furiously　over　our　fleet；　the
Argives　are　driven　back　on　to　the　beach；　cooped　within　a　narrow
space；　and　the　whole　people　of　Troy　has　taken　heart　to　sally　out
against　them；　because　they　see　not　the　visor　of　my　helmet
gleaming　near　them。　Had　they　seen　this；　there　would　not　have　been
a　creek　nor　grip　that　had　not　been　filled　with　their　dead　as　they
fled　back　again。　And　so　it　would　have　been；　if　only　King
Agamemnon　had　dealt　fairly　by　me。　As　it　is　the　Trojans　have　beset
our　host。　Diomed　son　of　Tydeus　no　longer　wields　his　spear　to
defend　the　Danaans；　neither　have　I　heard　the　voice　of　the　son　of
Atreus　ing　from　his　hated　head；　whereas　that　of　murderous
Hector　rings　in　my　cars　as　he　gives　orders　to　the　Trojans；　who
triumph　over　the　Achaeans　and　fill　the　whole　plain　with　their　cry
of　battle。　But　even　so；　Patroclus；　fall　upon　them　and　save　the
fleet；　lest　the　Trojans　fire　it　and　prevent　us　from　being　able　to
return。　Do；　however；　as　I　now　bid　you；　that　you　may　win　me　great
honour　from　all　the　Danaans；　and　that　they　may　restore　the　girl
to　me　again　and　give　me　rich　gifts　into　the　bargain。　When　you
have　driven　the　Trojans　from　the　ships；　e　back　again。　Though
Juno's　thundering　husband　should　put　triumph　within　your　reach；
do　not　fight　the　Trojans　further　in　my　absence；　or　you　will　rob
me　of　glory　that　should　be　mine。　And　do　not　for　lust　of　battle　go
on　killing　the　Trojans　nor　lead　the　Achaeans　on　to　Ilius；　lest
one　of　the　ever…living　gods　from　Olympus　attack　youfor　Phoebus
Apollo　loves　them　well：　return　when　you　have　freed　the　ships　from
peril；　and　let　others　wage　war　upon　the　plain。　Would；　by　father
Jove；　Minerva；　and　Apollo；　that　not　a　single　man　of　all　the
Trojans　might　be　left　alive；　nor　yet　of　the　Argives；　but　that　we
two　might　be　alone　left　to　tear　aside　the　mantle　that　veils　the
brow　of　Troy。〃

Thus　did　they　converse。　But　Ajax　could　no　longer　hold　his　ground
for　the　shower　of　darts　that　rained　upon　him；　the　will　of　Jove
and　the　javelins　of　the　Trojans　were　too　much　for　him；　the　helmet
that　gleamed　about　his　temples　rang　with　the　continuous　clatter
of　the　missiles　that　kept　pouring　on　to　it　and　on　to　the
cheek…pieces　that　protected　his　face。　Moreover　his　left　shoulder
was　tired　with　having　held　his　shield　so　long；　yet　for　all　this；
let　fly　at　him　as　they　would；　they　could　not　make　him　give
ground。　He　could　hardly　draw　his　breath；　the　sweat　rained　from
every　pore　of　his　body；　he　had　not　a　moment's　respite；　and　on　all
sides　he　was　beset　by　danger　upon　danger。

And　now；　tell　me；　O　Muses　that　hold　your　mansions　on　Olympus；　how
fire　was　thrown　upon　the　ships　of　the　Achaeans。　Hector　came　close
up　and　let