tales of troy-第10章

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should　utter。　　I　wholly　scorn　your　counsel；　for　the　Greeks　will
lose　heart　if；　in　the　midst　of　battle；　you　bid　them　launch　the
ships。〃

Agamemnon　was　ashamed；　and；　by　Diomede's　advice；　the　wounded　kings
went　down　to　the　verge　of　the　war　to　encourage　the　others；　though
they　were　themselves　unable　to　fight。　　They　rallied　the　Greeks；　and
Aias　led　them　and　struck　Hector　full　in　the　breast　with　a　great
rock；　so　that　his　friends　carried　him　out　of　the　battle　to　the
river　side；　where　they　poured　water　over　him；　but　he　lay　fainting
on　the　ground；　the　black　blood　gushing　up　from　his　mouth。　　While
Hector　lay　there；　and　all　men　thought　that　he　would　die；　Aias　and
Idomeneus　were　driving　back　the　Trojans；　and　it　seemed　that；　even
without　Achilles　and　his　men；　the　Greeks　were　able　to　hold　their
own　against　the　Trojans。　　But　the　battle　was　never　lost　while
Hector　lived。　　People　in　those　days　believed　in　〃omens：〃　they
thought　that　the　appearance　of　birds　on　the　right　or　left　hand
meant　good　or　bad　luck。　　Once　during　the　battle　a　Trojan　showed
Hector　an　unlucky　bird；　and　wanted　him　to　retreat　into　the　town。
But　Hector　said；　〃One　omen　is　the　best：　　to　fight　for　our　own
country。〃　　While　Hector　lay　between　death　and　life　the　Greeks　were
winning；　for　the　Trojans　had　no　other　great　chief　to　lead　them。
But　Hector　awoke　from　his　faint；　and　leaped　to　his　feet　and　ran
here　and　there；　encouraging　the　men　of　Troy。　　Then　the　most　of　the
Greeks　fled　when　they　saw　him；　but　Aias　and　Idomeneus；　and　the　rest
of　the　bravest；　formed　in　a　square　between　the　Trojans　and　the
ships；　and　down　on　them　came　Hector　and　Aeneas　and　Paris；　throwing
their　spears；　and　slaying　on　every　hand。　　The　Greeks　turned　and
ran；　and　the　Trojans　would　have　stopped　to　strip　the　armour　from
the　slain　men；　but　Hector　cried：　　〃Haste　to　the　ships　and　leave　the
spoils　of　war。　　I　will　slay　any　man　who　lags　behind！〃

On　this；　all　the　Trojans　drove　their　chariots　down　into　the　ditch
that　guarded　the　ships　of　the　Greeks；　as　when　a　great　wave　sweeps
at　sea　over　the　side　of　a　vessel；　and　the　Greeks　were　on　the　ship
decks；　thrusting　with　very　long　spears；　used　in　sea　fights；　and　the
Trojans　were　boarding　the　ships；　and　striking　with　swords　and　axes。
Hector　had　a　lighted　torch　and　tried　to　set　fire　to　the　ship　of
Aias；　but　Aias　kept　him　back　with　the　long　spear；　and　slew　a
Trojan；　whose　lighted　torch　fell　from　his　hand。　　And　Aias　kept
shouting：　　〃Come　on；　and　drive　away　Hector；　it　is　not　to　a　dance
that　he　is　calling　his　men；　but　to　battle。〃

The　dead　fell　in　heaps；　and　the　living　ran　over　them　to　mount　the
heaps　of　slain　and　climb　the　ships。　　Hector　rushed　forward　like　a
sea　wave　against　a　great　steep　rock；　but　like　the　rock　stood　the
Greeks；　still　the　Trojans　charged　past　the　beaks　of　the　foremost
ships；　while　Aias；　thrusting　with　a　spear　more　than　twenty　feet
long；　leaped　from　deck　to　deck　like　a　man　that　drives　four　horses
abreast；　and　leaps　from　the　back　of　one　to　the　back　of　another。
Hector　seized　with　his　hand　the　stern　of　the　ship　of　Protesilaus；
the　prince　whom　Paris　shot　when　he　leaped　ashore　on　the　day　when
the　Greeks　first　landed；　and　Hector　kept　calling：　　〃Bring　fire！〃
and　even　Aias；　in　this　strange　sea　fight　on　land；　left　the　decks
and　went　below；　thrusting　with　his　spear　through　the　portholes。
Twelve　men　lay　dead　who　had　brought　fire　against　the　ship　which
Aias　guarded。



THE　SLAYING　AND　AVENGING　OF　PATROCLUS



At　this　moment；　when　torches　were　blazing　round　the　ships；　and　all
seemed　lost；　Patroclus　came　out　of　the　hut　of　Eurypylus；　whose
wound　he　had　been　tending；　and　he　saw　that　the　Greeks　were　in　great
danger；　and　ran　weeping　to　Achilles。　　〃Why　do　you　weep；〃　said
Achilles；　〃like　a　little　girl　that　runs　by　her　mother's　side；　and
plucks　at　her　gown　and　looks　at　her　with　tears　in　her　eyes；　till
her　mother　takes　her　up　in　her　arms？　　Is　there　bad　news　from　home
that　your　father　is　dead；　or　mine；　or　are　you　sorry　that　the　Greeks
are　getting　what　they　deserve　for　their　folly？〃　　Then　Patroclus
told　Achilles　how　Ulysses　and　many　other　princes　were　wounded　and
could　not　fight；　and　begged　to　be　allowed　to　put　on　Achilles'
armour　and　lead　his　men；　who　were　all　fresh　and　unwearied；　into　the
battle；　for　a　charge　of　two　thousand　fresh　warriors　might　turn　the
fortune　of　the　day。

Then　Achilles　was　sorry　that　he　had　sworn　not　to　fight　himself　till
Hector　brought　fire　to　his　own　ships。　　He　would　lend　Patroclus　his
armour；　and　his　horses；　and　his　men；　but　Patroclus　must　only　drive
the　Trojans　from　the　ships；　and　not　pursue　them。　　At　this　moment
Aias　was　weary；　so　many　spears　smote　his　armour；　and　he　could
hardly　hold　up　his　great　shield；　and　Hector　cut　off　his　spear…head
with　the　sword；　the　bronze　head　fell　ringing　on　the　ground；　and
Aias　brandished　only　the　pointless　shaft。　　So　he　shrank　back　and
fire　blazed　all　over　his　ship；　and　Achilles　saw　it；　and　smote　his
thigh；　and　bade　Patroclus　make　haste。　　Patroclus　armed　himself　in
the　shining　armour　of　Achilles；　which　all　Trojans　feared；　and
leaped　into　the　chariot　where　Automedon；　the　squire；　had　harnessed
Xanthus　and　Balius；　two　horses　that　were　the　children；　men　said；　of
the　West　Wind；　and　a　led　horse　was　harnessed　beside　them　in　the
side　traces。　　Meanwhile　the　two　thousand　men　of　Achilles；　who　were
called　Myrmidons；　had　met　in　armour；　five　companies　of　four　hundred
apiece；　under　five　chiefs　of　noble　names。　　Forth　they　came；　as
eager　as　a　pack　of　wolves　that　have　eaten　a　great　red　deer　and　run
to　slake　their　thirst　with　the　dark　water　of　a　well　in　the　hills。

So　all　in　close　array；　helmet　touching　helmet　and　shield　touching
shield；　like　a　moving　wall　of　shining　bronze；　the　men　of　Achilles
charged；　and　Patroclus；　in　the　chariot　led　the　way。　　Down　they　came
at　full　speed　on　the　flank　of　the　Trojans；　who　saw　the　leader；　and
knew　the　bright　armour　and　the　horses　of　the　terrible　Achilles；　and
thought　that　he　had　returned　to　the　war。　　Then　each　Trojan　looked
round　to　see　by　what　way　he　could　escape；　and　when　men　do　that　in
battle　they　soon　run　by　the　way　they　have　chosen。　　Patroclus　rushed
to　the　ship　of　Protesilaus；　and　slew　the　leader　of　the　Trojans
there；　and　drove　them　out；　and　quenched　the　fire；　while　they　of
Troy　drew　back　from　the　ships；　and　Aias　and　the　other　unwounded
Greek　princes　leaped　among　them；　smiting　with　sword　and　spear。
Well　did　Hector　know　that　the　break　in　the　battle　had　come　again；
but　even　so　he　stood；　and　did　what　he　might；　while　the　Trojans　were
driven　back　in　disorder　across　the　ditch；　where　the　poles　of　many
chariots　were　broken　and　the　horses　fled　loose　across　the　plain。

The　horses　of　Achilles　cleared　the　ditch；　and　Patroclus　drove　them
between　the　Trojans　and　the　wall　of　their　own　town；　slaying　many
men；　and；　chief　of　all；　Sarpedon；　king　of　the　Lycians；　and　round
the　body　of　Sarpedon　the　Trojans　rallied　under　Hector；　and　the
fight　swayed　this　way　and　that；　and　there　was　such　a　noise　of
spears　and　swords　smiting　shields　and　helmets　as　when　many
woodcutters　fell　trees　in　a　glen　of　the　hills。　　At　last　the　Trojans
gave　way；　and　the　Greeks　stripped　the　armour　from　the　body　of　brave
Sarpedon；　but　men　say　that　Sleep　and　Death；　like　two　winged　angels；
bore　his　body　away　to　his　own　country。　　Now　Patroclus　forgot　how
Achilles　had　told　him　not　to　pursue　the　Trojans　across　the　plain；
but　to　return　when　he　had　driven　them　from　the　ships。　　On　he　raced；
slaying　as　he　went；　even　till　he　reached　the　foot　of　the　wall　of
Troy。　　Thrice　he　tried　to　climb　it；　but　thrice　he　fell　back。

Hector　was　in　his　chariot　in　the　gateway；　and　he　bade　his　squire
lash　his　horses　into　the　war；　and　struck　at　no　other　man；　great　or
small；　but　drove　straight　against　Patroclus；　who　stood　and　threw　a
heavy　stone　at　Hector；　which　missed　him；　but　killed　his　charioteer。
Then　Patroclus　leaped　on　the　charioteer　to　strip　his　armour；　but
Hector　stood　over　the　body；　grasping　it　by　the　head；　while
Patroclus　dragged　at　the　feet；　and　spears　and　arrows　flew　in　clouds
around　the　fallen　man。　　At　last；　towards　sunset；　the　Greeks　drew
him　out　of　the　war；　and　Patroclus　thrice　charged　into　the　thick　of
the　Trojans。　　But　the　helmet　of　Achilles　was　loosened　i