iliad10-第58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！

Patroclus。　I　am　in　two　minds　whether　to　catch　him　up　out　of　the
fight　and　set　him　down　safe　and　sound　in　the　fertile　land　of
Lycia；　or　to　let　him　now　fall　by　the　hand　of　the　son　of
Menoetius。〃

And　Juno　answered；　〃Most　dread　son　of　Saturn；　what　is　this　that
you　are　saying？　Would　you　snatch　a　mortal　man；　whose　doom　has
long　been　fated；　out　of　the　jaws　of　death？　Do　as　you　will；　but　we
shall　not　all　of　us　be　of　your　mind。　I　say　further；　and　lay　my
saying　to　your　heart；　that　if　you　send　Sarpedon　safely　to　his　own
home；　some　other　of　the　gods　will　be　also　wanting　to　escort　his
son　out　of　battle；　for　there　are　many　sons　of　gods　fighting　round
the　city　of　Troy；　and　you　will　make　every　one　jealous。　If；
however；　you　are　fond　of　him　and　pity　him；　let　him　indeed　fall　by
the　hand　of　Patroclus；　but　as　soon　as　the　life　is　gone　out　of
him；　send　Death　and　sweet　Sleep　to　bear　him　off　the　field　and
take　him　to　the　broad　lands　of　Lycia；　where　his　brothers　and　his
kinsmen　will　bury　him　with　mound　and　pillar；　in　due　honour　to　the
dead。〃

The　sire　of　gods　and　men　assented；　but　he　shed　a　rain　of　blood
upon　the　earth　in　honour　of　his　son　whom　Patroclus　was　about　to
kill　on　the　rich　plain　of　Troy　far　from　his　home。

When　they　were　now　e　close　to　one　another　Patroclus　struck
Thrasydemus；　the　brave　squire　of　Sarpedon；　in　the　lower　part　of
the　belly；　and　killed　him。　Sarpedon　then　aimed　a　spear　at
Patroclus　and　missed　him；　but　he　struck　the　horse　Pedasus　in　the
right　shoulder；　and　it　screamed　aloud　as　it　lay；　groaning　in　the
dust　until　the　life　went　out　of　it。　The　other　two　horses　began　to
plunge；　the　pole　of　the　chariot　cracked　and　they　got　entangled　in
the　reins　through　the　fall　of　the　horse　that　was　yoked　along　with
them；　but　Automedon　knew　what　to　do；　without　the　loss　of　a　moment
he　drew　the　keen　blade　that　hung　by　his　sturdy　thigh　and　cut　the
third　horse　adrift；　whereon　the　other　two　righted　themselves；　and
pulling　hard　at　the　reins　again　went　together　into　battle。

Sarpedon　now　took　a　second　aim　at　Patroclus；　and　again　missed
him；　the　point　of　the　spear　passed　over　his　left　shoulder　without
hitting　him。　Patroclus　then　aimed　in　his　turn；　and　the　spear　sped
not　from　his　hand　in　vain；　for　he　hit　Sarpedon　just　where　the
midriff　surrounds　the　ever…beating　heart。　He　fell　like　some　oak
or　silver　poplar　or　tall　pine　to　which　woodmen　have　laid　their
axes　upon　the　mountains　to　make　timber　for　ship…buildingeven　so
did　he　lie　stretched　at　full　length　in　front　of　his　chariot　and
horses；　moaning　and　clutching　at　the　blood…stained　dust。　As　when
a　lion　springs　with　a　bound　upon　a　herd　of　cattle　and　fastens　on
a　great　black　bull　which　dies　bellowing　in　its　clutcheseven　so
did　the　leader　of　the　Lycian　warriors　struggle　in　death　as　he
fell　by　the　hand　of　Patroclus。　He　called　on　his　trusty　rade
and　said；　〃Glaucus；　my　brother；　hero　among　heroes；　put　forth　all
your　strength；　fight　with　might　and　main；　now　if　ever　quit
yourself　like　a　valiant　soldier。　First　go　about　among　the　Lycian
captains　and　bid　them　fight　for　Sarpedon；　then　yourself　also　do
battle　to　save　my　armour　from　being　taken。　My　name　will　haunt　you
henceforth　and　for　ever　if　the　Achaeans　rob　me　of　my　armour　now
that　I　have　fallen　at　their　ships。　Do　your　very　utmost　and　call
all　my　people　together。〃

Death　closed　his　eyes　as　he　spoke。　Patroclus　planted　his　heel　on
his　breast　and　drew　the　spear　from　his　body；　whereon　his　senses
came　out　along　with　it；　and　he　drew　out　both　spear…point　and
Sarpedon's　soul　at　the　same　time。　Hard　by　the　Myrmidons　held　his
snorting　steeds；　who　were　wild　with　panic　at　finding　themselves
deserted　by　their　lords。

Glaucus　was　overe　with　grief　when　he　heard　what　Sarpedon　said；
for　he　could　not　help　him。　He　had　to　support　his　arm　with　his
other　hand；　being　in　great　pain　through　the　wound　which　Teucer's
arrow　had　given　him　when　Teucer　was　defending　the　wall　as　he；
Glaucus；　was　assailing　it。　Therefore　he　prayed　to　far…darting
Apollo　saying；　〃Hear　me　O　king　from　your　seat；　may　be　in　the　rich
land　of　Lycia；　or　may　be　in　Troy；　for　in　all　places　you　can　hear
the　prayer　of　one　who　is　in　distress；　as　I　now　am。　I　have　a
grievous　wound；　my　hand　is　aching　with　pain；　there　is　no
staunching　the　blood；　and　my　whole　arm　drags　by　reason　of　my
hurt；　so　that　I　cannot　grasp　my　sword　nor　go　among　my　foes　and
fight　them；　thou　our　prince；　Jove's　son　Sarpedon；　is　slain。　Jove
defended　not　his　son；　do　you；　therefore；　O　king；　heal　me　of　my
wound；　ease　my　pain　and　grant　me　strength　both　to　cheer　on　the
Lycians　and　to　fight　along　with　them　round　the　body　of　him　who
has　fallen。〃

Thus　did　he　pray；　and　Apollo　heard　his　prayer。　He　eased　his　pain；
staunched　the　black　blood　from　the　wound；　and　gave　him　new
strength。　Glaucus　perceived　this；　and　was　thankful　that　the
mighty　god　had　answered　his　prayer；　forthwith；　therefore；　he　went
among　the　Lycian　captains；　and　bade　them　e　to　fight　about　the
body　of　Sarpedon。　From　these　he　strode　on　among　the　Trojans　to
Polydamas　son　of　Panthous　and　Agenor；　he　then　went　in　search　of
Aeneas　and　Hector；　and　when　he　had　found　them　he　said；　〃Hector；
you　have　utterly　forgotten　your　allies；　who　languish　here　for
your　sake　far　from　friends　and　home　while　you　do　nothing　to
support　them。　Sarpedon　leader　of　the　Lycian　warriors　has　fallen
he　who　was　at　once　the　right　and　might　of　Lycia；　Mars　has　laid
him　low　by　the　spear　of　Patroclus。　Stand　by　him；　my　friends；　and
suffer　not　the　Myrmidons　to　strip　him　of　his　armour；　nor　to　treat
his　body　with　contumely　in　revenge　for　all　the　Danaans　whom　we
have　speared　at　the　ships。〃

As　he　spoke　the　Trojans　were　plunged　in　extreme　and　ungovernable
grief；　for　Sarpedon；　alien　though　he　was；　had　been　one　of　the
main　stays　of　their　city；　both　as　having　much　people　with　him；
and　himself　the　foremost　among　them　all。　Led　by　Hector；　who　was
infuriated　by　the　fall　of　Sarpedon；　they　made　instantly　for　the
Danaans　with　all　their　might；　while　the　undaunted　spirit　of
Patroclus　son　of　Menoetius　cheered　on　the　Achaeans。　First　he
spoke　to　the　two　Ajaxes；　men　who　needed　no　bidding。　〃Ajaxes；〃
said　he；　〃may　it　now　please　you　to　show　yourselves　the　men　you
have　always　been；　or　even　betterSarpedon　is　fallenhe　who　was
first　to　overleap　the　wall　of　the　Achaeans；　let　us　take　the　body
and　outrage　it；　let　us　strip　the　armour　from　his　shoulders；　and
kill　his　rades　if　they　try　to　rescue　his　body。〃

He　spoke　to　men　who　of　themselves　were　full　eager；　both　sides；
therefore；　the　Trojans　and　Lycians　on　the　one　hand；　and　the
Myrmidons　and　Achaeans　on　the　other；　strengthened　their
battalions；　and　fought　desperately　about　the　body　of　Sarpedon；
shouting　fiercely　the　while。　Mighty　was　the　din　of　their　armour
as　they　came　together；　and　Jove　shed　a　thick　darkness　over　the
fight；　to　increase　the　toil　of　the　battle　over　the　body　of　his
son。

At　first　the　Trojans　made　some　headway　against　the　Achaeans；　for
one　of　the　best　men　among　the　Myrmidons　was　killed；　Epeigeus；　son
of　noble　Agacles　who　had　erewhile　been　king　in　the　good　city　of
Budeum；　but　presently；　having　killed　a　valiant　kinsman　of　his
own；　he　took　refuge　with　Peleus　and　Thetis；　who　sent　him　to　Ilius
the　land　of　noble　steeds　to　fight　the　Trojans　under　Achilles。
Hector　now　struck　him　on　the　head　with　a　stone　just　as　he　had
caught　hold　of　the　body；　and　his　brains　inside　his　helmet　were
all　battered　in；　so　that　he　fell　face　foremost　upon　the　body　of
Sarpedon；　and　there　died。　Patroclus　was　enraged　by　the　death　of
his　rade；　and　sped　through　the　front　ranks　as　swiftly　as　a
hawk　that　swoops　down　on　a　flock　of　daws　or　starlings。　Even　so
swiftly；　O　noble　knight　Patroclus；　did　you　make　straight　for　the
Lycians　and　Trojans　to　avenge　your　rade。　Forthwith　he　struck
Sthenelaus　the　son　of　Ithaemenes　on　the　neck　with　a　stone；　and
broke　the　tendons　that　join　it　to　the　head　and　spine。　On　this
Hector　and　the　front　rank　of　his　men　gave　ground。　As　far　as　a　man
can　throw　a　javelin　when　peting　for　some　prize；　or　even　in
battleso　far　did　the　Trojans　now　retreat　before　the　Achaeans。
Glaucus；　captain　of　the　Lycians；　was　the　first　to　rally　them；　by
killing　Bathycles　son　of　Chalcon　who　lived　in　Hellas　and　was　the
richest　man　among　the　Myrmidons。　Glaucus　turned　round　suddenly；
just　as　Bathycles　who　was　pursuing　him　was　about　to　lay　hold　of
him；　and　drove　his　spear　right　into　the　middle　of　his　chest；
whereon　he　fell　heavily　to　the　ground；　and　the　fall　of　so　good　a
man　filled　the　Achaeans　with　dismay；　while　the　Trojans　were
exultant；　and　came　up　in　a　body　round　the　corpse。　Nevertheless
the　Achaeans；　mindful　of　their　prowess；　bore　straight　down　upon
them。

Meriones　then　killed　a　helmed　warrior　of　the　Trojans；　Laogonus
son　of　Onetor；　who　was　priest　of　Jove　of　Mt。　Ida；　and　was
honoured　by　the　people　as　though　he　were　a　god。　Meriones　struck
him　under　the　jaw　and　ear；　so　that　life　went　out　of　him　and　the
darkness　of　death　laid　hold　upon　him。　Aeneas　then　aimed　a　spear
at　Meriones；　hoping　to　hit　him　under　the　shield　as　he　was
advancing；　but　Meriones　saw　it　ing　and　stooped　forward　to
avoid　it；　whereon　the　spear　flew　past　him　and　the　point　stuck　in
the　ground；　while　the　butt…end　went　on　quivering　till　Mars　robbed
it　of　its　force。　The　spear