tales of troy-第17章

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burial。　　Round　the　dead　Achilles　men　fought　long　and　sore；　and　both
sides　were　mixed；　Greeks　and　Trojans；　so　that　men　dared　not　shoot
arrows　from　the　walls　of　Troy　lest　they　should　kill　their　own
friends。　　Paris；　and　Aeneas；　and　Glaucus；　who　had　been　the　friend
of　Sarpedon；　led　the　Trojans；　and　Aias　and　Ulysses　led　the　Greeks；
for　we　are　not　told　that　Agamemnon　was　fighting　in　this　great
battle　of　the　war。　　Now　as　angry　wild　bees　flock　round　a　man　who　is
taking　their　honeycombs；　so　the　Trojans　gathered　round　Aias；
striving　to　stab　him；　but　he　set　his　great　shield　in　front；　and
smote　and　slew　all　that　came　within　reach　of　his　spear。　　Ulysses；
too；　struck　down　many；　and　though　a　spear　was　thrown　and　pierced
his　leg　near　the　knee　he　stood　firm；　protecting　the　body　of
Achilles。　　At　last　Ulysses　caught　the　body　of　Achilles　by　the
hands；　and　heaved　it　upon　his　back；　and　so　limped　towards　the
ships；　but　Aias　and　the　men　of　Aias　followed；　turning　round　if　ever
the　Trojans　ventured　to　come　near；　and　charging　into　the　midst　of
them。　　Thus　very　slowly　they　bore　the　dead　Achilles　across　the
plain；　through　the　bodies　of　the　fallen　and　the　blood；　till　they
met　Nestor　in　his　chariot　and　placed　Achilles　therein；　and　swiftly
Nestor　drove　to　the　ships。

There　the　women；　weeping；　washed　Achilles'　comely　body；　and　laid
him　on　a　bier　with　a　great　white　mantle　over　him；　and　all　the　women
lamented　and　sang　dirges；　and　the　first　was　Briseis；　who　loved
Achilles　better　than　her　own　country；　and　her　father；　and　her
brothers　whom　he　had　slain　in　war。　　The　Greek　princes；　too；　stood
round　the　body；　weeping　and　cutting　off　their　long　locks　of　yellow
hair；　a　token　of　grief　and　an　offering　to　the　dead。

Men　say　that　forth　from　the　sea　came　Thetis　of　the　silver　feet；　the
mother　of　Achilles；　with　her　ladies；　the　deathless　maidens　of　the
waters。　　They　rose　up　from　their　glassy　chambers　below　the　sea；
moving　on；　many　and　beautiful；　like　the　waves　on　a　summer　day；　and
their　sweet　song　echoed　along　the　shores；　and　fear　came　upon　the
Greeks。　　Then　they　would　have　fled；　but　Nestor　cried：　　〃Hold；　flee
not；　young　lords　of　the　Achaeans！　　Lo；　she　that　comes　from　the　sea
is　his　mother；　with　the　deathless　maidens　of　the　waters；　to　look　on
the　face　of　her　dead　son。〃　　Then　the　sea　nymphs　stood　around　the
dead　Achilles　and　clothed　him　in　the　garments　of　the　Gods；　fragrant
raiment；　and　all　the　Nine　Muses；　one　to　the　other　replying　with
sweet　voices；　began　their　lament。

Next　the　Greeks　made　a　great　pile　of　dry　wood；　and　laid　Achilles　on
it；　and　set　fire　to　it；　till　the　flames　had　consumed　his　body
except　the　white　ashes。　　These　they　placed　in　a　great　golden　cup
and　mingled　with　them　the　ashes　of　Patroclus；　and　above　all　they
built　a　tomb　like　a　hill；　high　on　a　headland　above　the　sea；　that
men　for　all　time　may　see　it　as　they　go　sailing　by；　and　may　remember
Achilles。　　Next　they　held　in　his　honour　foot　races　and　chariot
races；　and　other　games；　and　Thetis　gave　splendid　prizes。　　Last　of
all；　when　the　games　were　ended；　Thetis　placed　before　the　chiefs　the
glorious　armour　that　the　God　had　made　for　her　son　on　the　night
after　the　slaying　of　Patroclus　by　Hector。　　〃Let　these　arms　be　the
prize　of　the　best　of　the　Greeks；〃　she　said；　〃and　of　him　that　saved
the　body　of　Achilles　out　of　the　hands　of　the　Trojans。〃

Then　stood　up　on　one　side　Aias　and　on　the　other　Ulysses；　for　these
two　had　rescued　the　body；　and　neither　thought　himself　a　worse
warrior　than　the　other。　　Both　were　the　bravest　of　the　brave；　and　if
Aias　was　the　taller　and　stronger；　and　upheld　the　fight　at　the　ships
on　the　day　of　the　valour　of　Hector；　Ulysses　had　alone　withstood　the
Trojans；　and　refused　to　retreat　even　when　wounded；　and　his　courage
and　cunning　had　won　for　the　Greeks　the　Luck　of　Troy。　　Therefore　old
Nestor　arose　and　said：　　〃This　is　a　luckless　day；　when　the　best　of
the　Greeks　are　rivals　for　such　a　prize。　　He　who　is　not　the　winner
will　be　heavy　at　heart；　and　will　not　stand　firm　by　us　in　battle；　as
of　old；　and　hence　will　come　great　loss　to　the　Greeks。　　Who　can　be　a
just　judge　in　this　question；　for　some　men　will　love　Aias　better；
and　some　will　prefer　Ulysses；　and　thus　will　arise　disputes　among
ourselves。　　Lo！　have　we　not　here　among　us　many　Trojan　prisoners；
waiting　till　their　friends　pay　their　ransom　in　cattle　and　gold　and
bronze　and　iron？　　These　hate　all　the　Greeks　alike；　and　will　favour
neither　Aias　nor　Ulysses。　　Let　THEM　be　the　judges；　and　decide　who
is　the　best　of　the　Greeks；　and　the　man　who　has　done　most　harm　to
the　Trojans。〃

Agamemnon　said　that　Nestor　had　spoken　wisely。　　The　Trojans　were
then　made　to　sit　as　judges　in　the　midst　of　the　Assembly；　and　Aias
and　Ulysses　spoke；　and　told　the　stories　of　their　own　great　deeds；
of　which　we　have　heard　already；　but　Aias　spoke　roughly　and
discourteously；　calling　Ulysses　a　coward　and　a　weakling。　　〃Perhaps
the　Trojans　know；〃　said　Ulysses　quietly；　〃whether　they　think　that　I
deserve　what　Aias　has　said　about　me；　that　I　am　a　coward；　and
perhaps　Aias　may　remember　that　he　did　not　find　me　so　weak　when　we
wrestled　for　a　prize　at　the　funeral　of　Patroclus。〃

Then　the　Trojans　all　with　one　voice　said　that　Ulysses　was　the　best
man　among　the　Greeks；　and　the　most　feared　by　them；　both　for　his
courage　and　his　skill　in　stratagems　of　war。　　On　this；　the　blood　of
Aias　flew　into　his　face；　and　he　stood　silent　and　unmoving；　and
could　not　speak　a　word；　till　his　friends　came　round　him　and　led　him
away　to　his　hut；　and　there　he　sat　down　and　would　not　eat　or　drink；
and　the　night　fell。

Long　he　sat；　musing　in　his　mind；　and　then　rose　and　put　on　all　his
armour；　and　seized　a　sword　that　Hector　had　given　him　one　day　when
they　two　fought　in　a　gentle　passage　of　arms；　and　took　courteous
farewell　of　each　other；　and　Aias　had　given　Hector　a　broad　sword…
belt；　wrought　with　gold。　　This　sword；　Hector's　gift；　Aias　took；　and
went　towards　the　hut　of　Ulysses；　meaning　to　carve　him　limb　from
limb；　for　madness　had　come　upon　him　in　his　great　grief。　　Rushing
through　the　night　to　slay　Ulysses　he　fell　upon　the　flock　of　sheep
that　the　Greeks　kept　for　their　meat。　　And　up　and　down　among　them　he
went；　smiting　blindly　till　the　dawn　came；　and；　lo！　his　senses
returned　to　him；　and　he　saw　that　he　had　not　smitten　Ulysses；　but
stood　in　a　pool　of　blood　among　the　sheep　that　he　had　slain。　　He
could　not　endure　the　disgrace　of　his　madness；　and　he　fixed　the
sword；　Hector's　gift；　with　its　hilt　firmly　in　the　ground；　and　went
back　a　little　way；　and　ran　and　fell　upon　the　sword；　which　pierced
his　heart；　and　so　died　the　great　Aias；　choosing　death　before　a
dishonoured　life。



ULYSSES　SAILS　TO　SEEK　THE　SON　OF　ACHILLES。THE　VALOUR　OF　EURYPYLUS



When　the　Greeks　found　Aias　lying　dead；　slain　by　his　own　hand；　they
made　great　lament；　and　above　all　the　brother　of　Aias；　and　his　wife
Tecmessa　bewailed　him；　and　the　shores　of　the　sea　rang　with　their
sorrow。　　But　of　all　no　man　was　more　grieved　than　Ulysses；　and　he
stood　up　and　said：　　〃Would　that　the　sons　of　the　Trojans　had　never
awarded　to　me　the　arms　of　Achilles；　for　far　rather　would　I　have
given　them　to　Aias　than　that　this　loss　should　have　befallen　the
whole　army　of　the　Greeks。　　Let　no　man　blame　me；　or　be　angry　with
me；　for　I　have　not　sought　for　wealth；　to　enrich　myself；　but　for
honour　only；　and　to　win　a　name　that　will　be　remembered　among　men　in
times　to　come。〃　　Then　they　made　a　great　fire　of　wood；　and　burned
the　body　of　Aias；　lamenting　him　as　they　had　sorrowed　for　Achilles。

Now　it　seemed　that　though　the　Greeks　had　won　the　Luck　of　Troy　and
had　defeated　the　Amazons　and　the　army　of　Memnon；　they　were　no
nearer　taking　Troy　than　ever。　　They　had　slain　Hector；　indeed；　and
many　other　Trojans；　but　they　had　lost　the　great　Achilles；　and　Aias；
and　Patroclus；　and　Antilochus；　with　the　princes　whom　Penthesilea
and　Memnon　slew；　and　the　bands　of　the　dead　chiefs　were　weary　of
fighting；　and　eager　to　go　home。　　The　chiefs　met　in　council；　and
Menelaus　arose　and　said　that　his　heart　was　wasted　with　sorrow　for
the　death　of　so　many　brave　men　who　had　sailed　to　Troy　for　his　sake。
〃Would　that　death　had　come　upon　me　before　I　gathered　this　host；〃　he
said；　〃but　come；　let　the　rest　of　us　launch　our　swift　ships；　and
return