iliad10-第59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！

the　ground；　while　the　butt…end　went　on　quivering　till　Mars　robbed
it　of　its　force。　The　spear；　therefore；　sped　from　Aeneas's　hand　in
vain　and　fell　quivering　to　the　ground。　Aeneas　was　angry　and　said；
〃Meriones；　you　are　a　good　dancer；　but　if　I　had　hit　you　my　spear
would　soon　have　made　an　end　of　you。〃

And　Meriones　answered；　〃Aeneas；　for　all　your　bravery；　you　will
not　be　able　to　make　an　end　of　every　one　who　es　against　you。
You　are　only　a　mortal　like　myself；　and　if　I　were　to　hit　you　in
the　middle　of　your　shield　with　my　spear；　however　strong　and
self…confident　you　may　be；　I　should　soon　vanquish　you；　and　you
would　yield　your　life　to　Hades　of　the　noble　steeds。〃

On　this　the　son　of　Menoetius　rebuked　him　and　said；　〃Meriones；
hero　though　you　be；　you　should　not　speak　thus；　taunting　speeches；
my　good　friend；　will　not　make　the　Trojans　draw　away　from　the　dead
body；　some　of　them　must　go　under　ground　first；　blows　for　battle；
and　words　for　council；　fight；　therefore；　and　say　nothing。〃

He　led　the　way　as　he　spoke　and　the　hero　went　forward　with　him。
As　the　sound　of　woodcutters　in　some　forest　glade　upon　the
mountainsand　the　thud　of　their　axes　is　heard　afareven　such　a
din　now　rose　from　earth…clash　of　bronze　armour　and　of　good
ox…hide　shields；　as　men　smote　each　other　with　their　swords　and
spears　pointed　at　both　ends。　A　man　had　need　of　good　eyesight　now
to　know　Sarpedon；　so　covered　was　he　from　head　to　foot　with　spears
and　blood　and　dust。　Men　swarmed　about　the　body；　as　flies　that
buzz　round　the　full　milk…pails　in　spring　when　they　are　brimming
with　milkeven　so　did　they　gather　round　Sarpedon；　nor　did　Jove
turn　his　keen　eyes　away　for　one　moment　from　the　fight；　but　kept
looking　at　it　all　the　time；　for　he　was　settling　how　best　to　kill
Patroclus；　and　considering　whether　Hector　should　be　allowed　to
end　him　now　in　the　fight　round　the　body　of　Sarpedon；　and　strip
him　of　his　armour；　or　whether　he　should　let　him　give　yet　further
trouble　to　the　Trojans。　In　the　end；　he　deemed　it　best　that　the
brave　squire　of　Achilles　son　of　Peleus　should　drive　Hector　and
the　Trojans　back　towards　the　city　and　take　the　lives　of　many。
First；　therefore；　he　made　Hector　turn　fainthearted；　whereon　he
mounted　his　chariot　and　fled；　bidding　the　other　Trojans　fly　also；
for　he　saw　that　the　scales　of　Jove　had　turned　against　him。
Neither　would　the　brave　Lycians　stand　firm；　they　were　dismayed
when　they　saw　their　king　lying　struck　to　the　heart　amid　a　heap　of
corpsesfor　when　the　son　of　Saturn　made　the　fight　wax　hot　many
had　fallen　above　him。　The　Achaeans；　therefore　stripped　the
gleaming　armour　from　his　shoulders　and　the　brave　son　of　Menoetius
gave　it　to　his　men　to　take　to　the　ships。　Then　Jove　lord　of　the
storm…cloud　said　to　Apollo；　〃Dear　Phoebus；　go；　I　pray　you；　and
take　Sarpedon　out　of　range　of　the　weapons；　cleanse　the　black
blood　from　off　him；　and　then　bear　him　a　long　way　off　where　you
may　wash　him　in　the　river；　anoint　him　with　ambrosia；　and　clothe
him　in　immortal　raiment；　this　done；　mit　him　to　the　arms　of　the
two　fleet　messengers；　Death；　and　Sleep；　who　will　carry　him
straightway　to　the　rich　land　of　Lycia；　where　his　brothers　and
kinsmen　will　inter　him；　and　will　raise　both　mound　and　pillar　to
his　memory；　in　due　honour　to　the　dead。〃

Thus　he　spoke。　Apollo　obeyed　his　father's　saying；　and　came　down
from　the　heights　of　Ida　into　the　thick　of　the　fight；　forthwith　he
took　Sarpedon　out　of　range　of　the　weapons；　and　then　bore　him　a
long　way　off；　where　he　washed　him　in　the　river；　anointed　him　with
ambrosia　and　clothed　him　in　immortal　raiment；　this　done；　he
mitted　him　to　the　arms　of　the　two　fleet　messengers；　Death；　and
Sleep；　who　presently　set　him　down　in　the　rich　land　of　Lycia。

Meanwhile　Patroclus；　with　many　a　shout　to　his　horses　and　to
Automedon；　pursued　the　Trojans　and　Lycians　in　the　pride　and
foolishness　of　his　heart。　Had　he　but　obeyed　the　bidding　of　the
son　of　Peleus；　he　would　have；　escaped　death　and　have　been
scatheless；　but　the　counsels　of　Jove　pass　man's　understanding；　he
will　put　even　a　brave　man　to　flight　and　snatch　victory　from　his
grasp；　or　again　he　will　set　him　on　to　fight；　as　he　now　did　when
he　put　a　high　spirit　into　the　heart　of　Patroclus。

Who　then　first；　and　who　last；　was　slain　by　you；　O　Patroclus；　when
the　gods　had　now　called　you　to　meet　your　doom？　First　Adrestus；
Autonous；　Echeclus；　Perimus　the　son　of　Megas；　Epistor　and
Melanippus；　after　these　he　killed　Elasus；　Mulius；　and　Pylartes。
These　he　slew；　but　the　rest　saved　themselves　by　flight。

The　sons　of　the　Achaeans　would　now　have　taken　Troy　by　the　hands
of　Patroclus；　for　his　spear　flew　in　all　directions；　had　not
Phoebus　Apollo　taken　his　stand　upon　the　wall　to　defeat　his
purpose　and　to　aid　the　Trojans。　Thrice　did　Patroclus　charge　at　an
angle　of　the　high　wall；　and　thrice　did　Apollo　beat　him　back；
striking　his　shield　with　his　own　immortal　hands。　When　Patroclus
was　ing　on　like　a　god　for　yet　a　fourth　time；　Apollo　shouted　to
him　with　an　awful　voice　and　said；　〃Draw　back；　noble　Patroclus；　it
is　not　your　lot　to　sack　the　city　of　the　Trojan　chieftains；　nor
yet　will　it　be　that　of　Achilles　who　is　a　far　better　man　than　you
are。〃　On　hearing　this；　Patroclus　withdrew　to　some　distance　and
avoided　the　anger　of　Apollo。

Meanwhile　Hector　was　waiting　with　his　horses　inside　the　Scaean
gates；　in　doubt　whether　to　drive　out　again　and　go　on　fighting；　or
to　call　the　army　inside　the　gates。　As　he　was　thus　doubting
Phoebus　Apollo　drew　near　him　in　the　likeness　of　a　young　and　lusty
warrior　Asius；　who　was　Hector's　uncle；　being　own　brother　to
Hecuba；　and　son　of　Dymas　who　lived　in　Phrygia　by　the　waters　of
the　river　Sangarius；　in　his　likeness　Jove's　son　Apollo　now　spoke
to　Hector　saying；　〃Hector；　why　have　you　left　off　fighting？　It　is
ill　done　of　you。　If　I　were　as　much　better　a　man　than　you；　as　I　am
worse；　you　should　soon　rue　your　slackness。　Drive　straight　towards
Patroclus；　if　so　be　that　Apollo　may　grant　you　a　triumph　over　him；
and　you　may　rule　him。〃

With　this　the　god　went　back　into　the　hurly…burly；　and　Hector　bade
Cebriones　drive　again　into　the　fight。　Apollo　passed　in　among
them；　and　struck　panic　into　the　Argives；　while　he　gave　triumph　to
Hector　and　the　Trojans。　Hector　let　the　other　Danaans　alone　and
killed　no　man；　but　drove　straight　at　Patroclus。　Patroclus　then
sprang　from　his　chariot　to　the　ground；　with　a　spear　in　his　left
hand；　and　in　his　right　a　jagged　stone　as　large　as　his　hand　could
hold。　He　stood　still　and　threw　it；　nor　did　it　go　far　without
hitting　some　one；　the　cast　was　not　in　vain；　for　the　stone　struck
Cebriones；　Hector's　charioteer；　a　bastard　son　of　Priam；　as　he
held　the　reins　in　his　hands。　The　stone　hit　him　on　the　forehead
and　drove　his　brows　into　his　head　for　the　bone　was　smashed；　and
his　eyes　fell　to　the　ground　at　his　feet。　He　dropped　dead　from　his
chariot　as　though　he　were　diving；　and　there　was　no　more　life　left
in　him。　Over　him　did　you　then　vaunt；　O　knight　Patroclus；　saying；
〃Bless　my　heart；　how　active　he　is；　and　how　well　he　dives。　If　we
had　been　at　sea　this　fellow　would　have　dived　from　the　ship's　side
and　brought　up　as　many　oysters　as　the　whole　crew　could　stomach；
even　in　rough　water；　for　he　has　dived　beautifully　off　his　chariot
on　to　the　ground。　It　seems；　then；　that　there　are　divers　also
among　the　Trojans。〃

As　he　spoke　he　flung　himself　on　Cebriones　with　the　spring；　as　it
were；　of　a　lion　that　while　attacking　a　stockyard　is　himself
struck　in　the　chest；　and　his　courage　is　his　own　baneeven　so
furiously；　O　Patroclus；　did　you　then　spring　upon　Cebriones。
Hector　sprang　also　from　his　chariot　to　the　ground。　The　pair　then
fought　over　the　body　of　Cebriones。　As　two　lions　fight　fiercely　on
some　high　mountain　over　the　body　of　a　stag　that　they　have　killed；
even　so　did　these　two　mighty　warriors；　Patroclus　son　of　Menoetius
and　brave　Hector；　hack　and　hew　at　one　another　over　the　corpse　of
Cebriones。　Hector　would　not　let　him　go　when　he　had　once　got　him
by　the　head；　while　Patroclus　kept　fast　hold　of　his　feet；　and　a
fierce　fight　raged　between　the　other　Danaans　and　Trojans。　As　the
east　and　south　wind　buffet　one　another　when　they　beat　upon　some
dense　forest　on　the　mountainsthere　is　beech　and　ash　and
spreading　cornel；　the　top　of　the　trees　roar　as　they　beat　on　one
another；　and　one　can　hear　the　boughs　cracking　and　breakingeven
so　did　the　Trojans　and　Achaeans　spring　upon　one　another　and　lay
about　each　other；　and　neither　side　would　give　way。　Many　a　pointed
spear　fell　to　ground　and　many　a　winged　arrow　sped　from　its
bow…string　about　the　body　of　Cebriones；　many　a　great　stone；
moreover；　beat　on　many　a　shield　as　they　fought　around　his　body；
but　there　he　lay　in　the　whirling　clouds　of　dust；　all　huge　and
hugely；　heedless　of　his　driving　now。

So　long　as　the　sun　was　still　high　in　mid…heaven　the　weapons　of
either　side　were　alike　deadly；　and　the　people　fell；　but　when　he
went　down　towards　the　time　when　men　loose　their　oxen；　the
Achaeans　proved　to　be　beyond　all　forecast　stronger；　so　that　they
drew　Cebriones　out　of　range　of　the　darts　and　tumult　of　the
Trojans；　and　stripped　the　armour　from　his　shoulders。　Then
Patroclus　sprang　like　Mars　with　fierce　intent　and　a　terrific
shout　upon　the　Trojans；　and　thrice　did　he　kill　nine　men；　but　as
he　was　ing　on　like　a　god　fo