iliad10-第75部分

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faster　than　the　man　can　followeven　so　did　the　river　keep
catching　up　with　Achilles　albeit　he　was　a　fleet　runner；　for　the
gods　are　stronger　than　men。　As　often　as　he　would　strive　to　stand
his　ground；　and　see　whether　or　no　all　the　gods　in　heaven　were　in
league　against　him；　so　often　would　the　mighty　wave　e　beating
down　upon　his　shoulders；　and　he　would　have　to　keep　flying　on　and
on　in　great　dismay；　for　the　angry　flood　was　tiring　him　out　as　it
flowed　past　him　and　ate　the　ground　from　under　his　feet。

Then　the　son　of　Peleus　lifted　up　his　voice　to　heaven　saying；
〃Father　Jove；　is　there　none　of　the　gods　who　will　take　pity　upon
me；　and　save　me　from　the　river？　I　do　not　care　what　may　happen　to
me　afterwards。　I　blame　none　of　the　other　dwellers　on　Olympus　so
severely　as　I　do　my　dear　mother；　who　has　beguiled　and　tricked　me。
She　told　me　I　was　to　fall　under　the　walls　of　Troy　by　the　flying
arrows　of　Apollo；　would　that　Hector；　the　best　man　among　the
Trojans；　might　there　slay　me；　then　should　I　fall　a　hero　by　the
hand　of　a　hero；　whereas　now　it　seems　that　I　shall　e　to　a　most
pitiable　end；　trapped　in　this　river　as　though　I　were　some
swineherd's　boy；　who　gets　carried　down　a　torrent　while　trying　to
cross　it　during　a　storm。〃

As　soon　as　he　had　spoken　thus；　Neptune　and　Minerva　came　up　to　him
in　the　likeness　of　two　men；　and　took　him　by　the　hand　to　reassure
him。　Neptune　spoke　first。　〃Son　of　Peleus；〃　said　he；　〃be　not　so
exceeding　fearful；　we　are　two　gods；　e　with　Jove's　sanction　to
assist　you；　I；　and　Pallas　Minerva。　It　is　not　your　fate　to　perish
in　this　river；　he　will　abate　presently　as　you　will　see；　moreover
we　strongly　advise　you；　if　you　will　be　guided　by　us；　not　to　stay
your　hand　from　fighting　till　you　have　pent　the　Trojan　host　within
the　famed　walls　of　Iliusas　many　of　them　as　may　escape。　Then
kill　Hector　and　go　back　to　the　ships；　for　we　will　vouchsafe　you　a
triumph　over　him。〃

When　they　had　so　said　they　went　back　to　the　other　immortals；　but
Achilles　strove　onward　over　the　plain；　encouraged　by　the　charge
the　gods　had　laid　upon　him。　All　was　now　covered　with　the　flood　of
waters；　and　much　goodly　armour　of　the　youths　that　had　been　slain
was　rifting　about；　as　also　many　corpses；　but　he　forced　his　way
against　the　stream；　speeding　right　onwards；　nor　could　the　broad
waters　stay　him；　for　Minerva　had　endowed　him　with　great　strength。
Nevertheless　Scamander　did　not　slacken　in　his　pursuit；　but　was
still　more　furious　with　the　son　of　Peleus。　He　lifted　his　waters
into　a　high　crest　and　cried　aloud　to　Simois　saying；　〃Dear
brother；　let　the　two　of　us　unite　to　save　this　man；　or　he　will
sack　the　mighty　city　of　King　Priam；　and　the　Trojans　will　not　hold
out　against　him。　Help　me　at　once；　fill　your　streams　with　water
from　their　sources；　rouse　all　your　torrents　to　a　fury；　raise　your
wave　on　high；　and　let　snags　and　stones　e　thundering　down　you
that　we　may　make　an　end　of　this　savage　creature　who　is　now
lording　it　as　though　he　were　a　god。　Nothing　shall　serve　him
longer；　not　strength　nor　eliness；　nor　his　fine　armour；　which
forsooth　shall　soon　be　lying　low　in　the　deep　waters　covered　over
with　mud。　I　will　wrap　him　in　sand；　and　pour　tons　of　shingle　round
him；　so　that　the　Achaeans　shall　not　know　how　to　gather　his　bones
for　the　silt　in　which　I　shall　have　hidden　him；　and　when　they
celebrate　his　funeral　they　need　build　no　barrow。〃

On　this　he　upraised　his　tumultuous　flood　high　against　Achilles；
seething　as　it　was　with　foam　and　blood　and　the　bodies　of　the
dead。　The　dark　waters　of　the　river　stood　upright　and　would　have
overwhelmed　the　son　of　Peleus；　but　Juno；　trembling　lest　Achilles
should　be　swept　away　in　the　mighty　torrent；　lifted　her　voice　on
high　and　called　out　to　Vulcan　her　son。　〃Crook…foot；〃　she　cried；
〃my　child；　be　up　and　doing；　for　I　deem　it　is　with　you　that
Xanthus　is　fain　to　fight；　help　us　at　once；　kindle　a　fierce　fire；
I　will　then　bring　up　the　west　and　the　white　south　wind　in　a
mighty　hurricane　from　the　sea；　that　shall　bear　the　flames　against
the　heads　and　armour　of　the　Trojans　and　consume　them；　while　you
go　along　the　banks　of　Xanthus　burning　his　trees　and　wrapping　him
round　with　fire。　Let　him　not　turn　you　back　neither　by　fair　words
nor　foul；　and　slacken　not　till　I　shout　and　tell　you。　Then　you　may
stay　your　flames。〃

On　this　Vulcan　kindled　a　fierce　fire；　which　broke　out　first　upon
the　plain　and　burned　the　many　dead　whom　Achilles　had　killed　and
whose　bodies　were　lying　about　in　great　numbers；　by　this　means　the
plain　was　dried　and　the　flood　stayed。　As　the　north　wind；　blowing
on　an　orchard　that　has　been　sodden　with　autumn　rain；　soon　dries
it；　and　the　heart　of　the　owner　is　gladeven　so　the　whole　plain
was　dried　and　the　dead　bodies　were　consumed。　Then　he　turned
tongues　of　fire　on　to　the　river。　He　burned　the　elms　the　willows
and　the　tamarisks；　the　lotus　also；　with　the　rushes　and　marshy
herbage　that　grew　abundantly　by　the　banks　of　the　river。　The　eels
and　fishes　that　go　darting　about　everywhere　in　the　water；　these；
too；　were　sorely　harassed　by　the　flames　that　cunning　Vulcan　had
kindled；　and　the　river　himself　was　scalded；　so　that　he　spoke
saying；　〃Vulcan；　there　is　no　god　can　hold　his　own　against　you。　I
cannot　fight　you　when　you　flare　out　your　flames　in　this　way；
strive　with　me　no　longer。　Let　Achilles　drive　the　Trojans　out　of
city　immediately。　What　have　I　to　do　with　quarrelling　and　helping
people？〃

He　was　boiling　as　he　spoke；　and　all　his　waters　were　seething。　As
a　cauldron　upon　a　large　fire　boils　when　it　is　melting　the　lard　of
some　fatted　hog；　and　the　lard　keeps　bubbling　up　all　over　when　the
dry　faggots　blaze　under　iteven　so　were　the　goodly　waters　of
Xanthus　heated　with　the　fire　till　they　were　boiling。　He　could
flow　no　longer　but　stayed　his　stream；　so　afflicted　was　he　by　the
blasts　of　fire　which　cunning　Vulcan　had　raised。　Then　he　prayed　to
Juno　and　besought　her　saying；　〃Juno；　why　should　your　son　vex　my
stream　with　such　especial　fury？　I　am　not　so　much　to　blame　as　all
the　others　are　who　have　been　helping　the　Trojans。　I　will　leave
off；　since　you　so　desire　it；　and　let　son　leave　off　also。
Furthermore　I　swear　never　again　will　I　do　anything　to　save　the
Trojans　from　destruction；　not　even　when　all　Troy　is　burning　in
the　flames　which　the　Achaeans　will　kindle。〃

As　soon　as　Juno　heard　this　she　said　to　her　son　Vulcan；　〃Son
Vulcan；　hold　now　your　flames；　we　ought　not　to　use　such　violence
against　a　god　for　the　sake　of　mortals。〃

When　she　had　thus　spoken　Vulcan　quenched　his　flames；　and　the
river　went　back　once　more　into　his　own　fair　bed。

Xanthus　was　now　beaten；　so　these　two　left　off　fighting；　for　Juno
stayed　them　though　she　was　still　angry；　but　a　furious　quarrel
broke　out　among　the　other　gods；　for　they　were　of　divided
counsels。　They　fell　on　one　another　with　a　mighty　uproarearth
groaned；　and　the　spacious　firmament　rang　out　as　with　a　blare　of
trumpets。　Jove　heard　as　he　was　sitting　on　Olympus；　and　laughed
for　joy　when　he　saw　the　gods　ing　to　blows　among　themselves。
They　were　not　long　about　beginning；　and　Mars　piercer　of　shields
opened　the　battle。　Sword　in　hand　he　sprang　at　once　upon　Minerva
and　reviled　her。　〃Why；　vixen；〃　said　he；　〃have　you　again　set　the
gods　by　the　ears　in　the　pride　and　haughtiness　of　your　heart？　Have
you　forgotten　how　you　set　Diomed　son　of　Tydeus　on　to　wound　me；
and　yourself　took　visible　spear　and　drove　it　into　me　to　the　hurt
of　my　fair　body？　You　shall　now　suffer　for　what　you　then　did　to
me。〃

As　he　spoke　he　struck　her　on　the　terrible　tasselled　aegisso
terrible　that　not　even　can　Jove's　lightning　pierce　it。　Here　did
murderous　Mars　strike　her　with　his　great　spear。　She　drew　back　and
with　her　strong　hand　seized　a　stone　that　was　lying　on　the　plain
great　and　rugged　and　blackwhich　men　of　old　had　set　for　the
boundary　of　a　field。　With　this　she　struck　Mars　on　the　neck；　and
brought　him　down。　Nine　roods　did　he　cover　in　his　fall；　and　his
hair　was　all　soiled　in　the　dust；　while　his　armour　rang　rattling
round　him。　But　Minerva　laughed　and　vaunted　over　him　saying；
〃Idiot；　have　you　not　learned　how　far　stronger　I　am　than　you；　but
you　must　still　match　yourself　against　me？　Thus　do　your　mother's
curses　now　roost　upon　you；　for　she　is　angry　and　would　do　you
mischief　because　you　have　deserted　the　Achaeans　and　are　helping
the　Trojans。〃

She　then　turned　her　two　piercing　eyes　elsewhere；　whereon　Jove's
daughter　Venus　took　Mars　by　the　hand　and　led　him　away　groaning
all　the　time；　for　it　was　only　with　great　difficulty　that　he　had
e　to　himself　again。　When　Queen　Juno　saw　her；　she　said　to
Minerva；　〃Look；　daughter　of　aegis…bearing　Jove；　unweariable；　that
vixen　Venus　is　again　taking　Mars　through　the　crowd　out　of　the
battle；　go　after　her　at　once。〃

Thus　she　spoke。　Minerva　sped　after　Venus　with　a　will；　and　made　at
her；　striking　her　on　the　bosom　with　her　strong　hand　so　that　she
fell　fainting　to　the　ground；　and　there　they　both　lay　stretched　at
full　length。　Then　Minerva　vaunted　over　her　saying；　〃May　all　who
help　the　Trojans　against　the　Argives　prove　just　as　redoubtable
and　stalwart　as　Venus　did　when　she　came　across　me　while　she　was
helping　Mars。　Had　this　been　so；　we　should　long　since　have　ended
the　war　by　sacking　the　strong　city　of　Ilius。〃

Juno　smiled　as　she　listened。　Meanwhile　King　Neptune