iliad10-第86部分

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days　past　the　immortals　have　been　quarrelling　about　Achilles
waster　of　cities　and　the　body　of　Hector。　The　gods　would　have
Mercury　slayer　of　Argus　steal　the　body；　but　in　furtherance　of　our
peace　and　amity　henceforward；　I　will　concede　such　honour　to　your
son　as　I　will　now　tell　you。　Go；　then；　to　the　host　and　lay　these
mands　upon　him；　say　that　the　gods　are　angry　with　him；　and　that
I　am　myself　more　angry　than　them　all；　in　that　he　keeps　Hector　at
the　ships　and　will　not　give　him　up。　He　may　thus　fear　me　and　let
the　body　go。　At　the　same　time　I　will　send　Iris　to　great　Priam　to
bid　him　go　to　the　ships　of　the　Achaeans；　and　ransom　his　son；
taking　with　him　such　gifts　for　Achilles　as　may　give　him
satisfaction。〃

Silver…footed　Thetis　did　as　the　god　had　told　her；　and　forthwith
down　she　darted　from　the　topmost　summits　of　Olympus。　She　went　to
her　son's　tents　where　she　found　him　grieving　bitterly；　while　his
trusty　rades　round　him　were　busy　preparing　their　morning　meal；
for　which　they　had　killed　a　great　woolly　sheep。　His　mother　sat
down　beside　him　and　caressed　him　with　her　hand　saying；　〃My　son；
how　long　will　you　keep　on　thus　grieving　and　making　moan？　You　are
gnawing　at　your　own　heart；　and　think　neither　of　food　nor　of
woman's　embraces；　and　yet　these　too　were　well；　for　you　have　no
long　time　to　live；　and　death　with　the　strong　hand　of　fate　are
already　close　beside　you。　Now；　therefore；　heed　what　I　say；　for　I
e　as　a　messenger　from　Jove；　he　says　that　the　gods　are　angry
with　you；　and　himself　more　angry　than　them　all；　in　that　you　keep
Hector　at　the　ships　and　will　not　give　him　up。　Therefore　let　him
go；　and　accept　a　ransom　for　his　body。〃

And　Achilles　answered；　〃So　be　it。　If　Olympian　Jove　of　his　own
motion　thus　mands　me；　let　him　that　brings　the　ransom　bear　the
body　away。〃

Thus　did　mother　and　son　talk　together　at　the　ships　in　long
discourse　with　one　another。　Meanwhile　the　son　of　Saturn　sent　Iris
to　the　strong　city　of　Ilius。　〃Go；〃　said　he；　〃fleet　Iris；　from　the
mansions　of　Olympus；　and　tell　King　Priam　in　Ilius；　that　he　is　to
go　to　the　ships　of　the　Achaeans　and　free　the　body　of　his　dear
son。　He　is　to　take　such　gifts　with　him　as　shall　give　satisfaction
to　Achilles；　and　he　is　to　go　alone；　with　no　other　Trojan；　save
only　some　honoured　servant　who　may　drive　his　mules　and　waggon；
and　bring　back　the　body　of　him　whom　noble　Achilles　has　slain。　Let
him　have　no　thought　nor　fear　of　death　in　his　heart；　for　we　will
send　the　slayer　of　Argus　to　escort　him；　and　bring　him　within　the
tent　of　Achilles。　Achilles　will　not　kill　him　nor　let　another　do
so；　for　he　will　take　heed　to　his　ways　and　sin　not；　and　he　will
entreat　a　suppliant　with　all　honourable　courtesy。〃

On　this　Iris；　fleet　as　the　wind；　sped　forth　to　deliver　her
message。　She　went　to　Priam's　house；　and　found　weeping　and
lamentation　therein。　His　sons　were　seated　round　their　father　in
the　outer　courtyard；　and　their　raiment　was　wet　with　tears：　the
old　man　sat　in　the　midst　of　them　with　his　mantle　wrapped　close
about　his　body；　and　his　head　and　neck　all　covered　with　the　filth
which　he　had　clutched　as　he　lay　grovelling　in　the　mire。　His
daughters　and　his　sons'　wives　went　wailing　about　the　house；　as
they　thought　of　the　many　and　brave　men　who　lay　dead；　slain　by　the
Argives。　The　messenger　of　Jove　stood　by　Priam　and　spoke　softly　to
him；　but　fear　fell　upon　him　as　she　did　so。　〃Take　heart；〃　she
said；　〃Priam　offspring　of　Dardanus；　take　heart　and　fear　not。　I
bring　no　evil　tidings；　but　am　minded　well　towards　you。　I　e　as
a　messenger　from　Jove；　who　though　he　be　not　near；　takes　thought
for　you　and　pities　you。　The　lord　of　Olympus　bids　you　go　and
ransom　noble　Hector；　and　take　with　you　such　gifts　as　shall　give
satisfaction　to　Achilles。　You　are　to　go　alone；　with　no　Trojan；
save　only　some　honoured　servant　who　may　drive　your　mules　and
waggon；　and　bring　back　to　the　city　the　body　of　him　whom　noble
Achilles　has　slain。　You　are　to　have　no　thought；　nor　fear　of
death；　for　Jove　will　send　the　slayer　of　Argus　to　escort　you。　When
he　has　brought　you　within　Achilles'　tent；　Achilles　will　not　kill
you　nor　let　another　do　so；　for　he　will　take　heed　to　his　ways　and
sin　not；　and　he　will　entreat　a　suppliant　with　all　honourable
courtesy。〃

Iris　went　her　way　when　she　had　thus　spoken；　and　Priam　told　his
sons　to　get　a　mule…waggon　ready；　and　to　make　the　body　of　the
waggon　fast　upon　the　top　of　its　bed。　Then　he　went　down　into　his
fragrant　store…room；　high…vaulted；　and　made　of　cedar…wood；　where
his　many　treasures　were　kept；　and　he　called　Hecuba　his　wife。
〃Wife；〃　said　he；　〃a　messenger　has　e　to　me　from　Olympus；　and
has　told　me　to　go　to　the　ships　of　the　Achaeans　to　ransom　my　dear
son；　taking　with　me　such　gifts　as　shall　give　satisfaction　to
Achilles。　What　think　you　of　this　matter？　for　my　own　part　I　am
greatly　moved　to　pass　through　the　camps　of　the　Achaeans　and　go　to
their　ships。〃

His　wife　cried　aloud　as　she　heard　him；　and　said；　〃Alas；　what　has
bee　of　that　judgement　for　which　you　have　been　ever　famous　both
among　strangers　and　your　own　people？　How　can　you　venture　alone　to
the　ships　of　the　Achaeans；　and　look　into　the　face　of　him　who　has
slain　so　many　of　your　brave　sons？　You　must　have　iron　courage；　for
if　the　cruel　savage　sees　you　and　lays　hold　on　you；　he　will　know
neither　respect　nor　pity。　Let　us　then　weep　Hector　from　afar　here
in　our　own　house；　for　when　I　gave　him　birth　the　threads　of
overruling　fate　were　spun　for　him　that　dogs　should　eat　his　flesh
far　from　his　parents；　in　the　house　of　that　terrible　man　on　whose
liver　I　would　fain　fasten　and　devour　it。　Thus　would　I　avenge　my
son；　who　showed　no　cowardice　when　Achilles　slew　him；　and　thought
neither　of　flight　nor　of　avoiding　battle　as　he　stood　in　defence
of　Trojan　men　and　Trojan　women。〃

Then　Priam　said；　〃I　would　go；　do　not　therefore　stay　me　nor　be　as
a　bird　of　ill　omen　in　my　house；　for　you　will　not　move　me。　Had　it
been　some　mortal　man　who　had　sent　me　some　prophet　or　priest　who
divines　from　sacrificeI　should　have　deemed　him　false　and　have
given　him　no　heed；　but　now　I　have　heard　the　goddess　and　seen　her
face　to　face；　therefore　I　will　go　and　her　saying　shall　not　be　in
vain。　If　it　be　my　fate　to　die　at　the　ships　of　the　Achaeans　even
so　would　I　have　it；　let　Achilles　slay　me；　if　I　may　but　first　have
taken　my　son　in　my　arms　and　mourned　him　to　my　heart's
forting。〃

So　saying　he　lifted　the　lids　of　his　chests；　and　took　out　twelve
goodly　vestments。　He　took　also　twelve　cloaks　of　single　fold；
twelve　rugs；　twelve　fair　mantles；　and　an　equal　number　of　shirts。
He　weighed　out　ten　talents　of　gold；　and　brought　moreover　two
burnished　tripods；　four　cauldrons；　and　a　very　beautiful　cup　which
the　Thracians　had　given　him　when　he　had　gone　to　them　on　an
embassy；　it　was　very　precious；　but　he　grudged　not　even　this；　so
eager　was　he　to　ransom　the　body　of　his　son。　Then　he　chased　all
the　Trojans　from　the　court　and　rebuked　them　with　words　of　anger。
〃Out；〃　he　cried；　〃shame　and　disgrace　to　me　that　you　are。　Have　you
no　grief　in　your　own　homes　that　you　are　e　to　plague　me　here？
Is　it　a　small　thing；　think　you；　that　the　son　of　Saturn　has　sent
this　sorrow　upon　me；　to　lose　the　bravest　of　my　sons？　Nay；　you
shall　prove　it　in　person；　for　now　he　is　gone　the　Achaeans　will
have　easier　work　in　killing　you。　As　for　me；　let　me　go　down　within
the　house　of　Hades；　ere　mine　eyes　behold　the　sacking　and　wasting
of　the　city。〃

He　drove　the　men　away　with　his　staff；　and　they　went　forth　as　the
old　man　sped　them。　Then　he　called　to　his　sons；　upbraiding
Helenus；　Paris；　noble　Agathon；　Pammon；　Antiphonus；　Polites　of　the
loud　battle…cry；　Deiphobus；　Hippothous；　and　Dius。　These　nine　did
the　old　man　call　near　him。　〃e　to　me　at　once；〃　he　cried；
〃worthless　sons　who　do　me　shame；　would　that　you　had　all　been
killed　at　the　ships　rather　than　Hector。　Miserable　man　that　I　am；
I　have　had　the　bravest　sons　in　all　Troynoble　Nestor；　Troilus
the　dauntless　charioteer；　and　Hector　who　was　a　god　among　men；　so
that　one　would　have　thought　he　was　son　to　an　immortalyet　there
is　not　one　of　them　left。　Mars　has　slain　them　and　those　of　whom　I
am　ashamed　are　alone　left　me。　Liars；　and　light　of　foot；　heroes　of
the　dance；　robbers　of　lambs　and　kids　from　your　own　people；　why　do
you　not　get　a　waggon　ready　for　me　at　once；　and　put　all　these
things　upon　it　that　I　may　set　out　on　my　way？〃

Thus　did　he　speak；　and　they　feared　the　rebuke　of　their　father。
They　brought　out　a　strong　mule…waggon；　newly　made；　and　set　the
body　of　the　waggon　fast　on　its　bed。　They　took　the　mule…yoke　from
the　peg　on　which　it　hung；　a　yoke　of　boxwood　with　a　knob　on　the
top　of　it　and　rings　for　the　reins　to　go　through。　Then　they
brought　a　yoke…band　eleven　cubits　long；　to　bind　the　yoke　to　the
pole；　they　bound　it　on　at　the　far　end　of　the　pole；　and　put　the
ring　over　the　upright　pin　making　it　fast　with　three　turns　of　the
band　on　either　side　the　knob；　and　bending　the　thong　of　the　yoke
beneath　it。　This　done；　they　brought　from　the　store…chamber　the
rich　ransom　that　was　to　purchase　the　body　of　Hector；　and　they　set
it　all　orderly　on　the　waggon；　then　they　yoked　the　strong
harness…mules　which　the　Mysians　had　on　a　time　given　as　a　goodly
present　to　Priam；　but　for　Priam　himself　they　yoked　horses　which
the　old　king　had　bred；　and　kept　for　own　use。