the iliad(伊利亚特)-第15章

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say　they　that　saw　him　in　battle；　for　I　never　set　eyes　upon　him　myself。
They　say　that　there　was　no　man　like　him。　He　came　once　to　Mycenae；
not　as　an　enemy　but　as　a　guest；　in　company　with　Polynices　to　recruit
his　forces；　for　they　were　levying　war　against　the　strong　city　of
Thebes；　and　prayed　our　people　for　a　body　of　picked　men　to　help　them。
The　men　of　Mycenae　were　willing　to　let　them　have　one；　but　Jove
dissuaded　them　by　showing　them　unfavourable　omens。　Tydeus；
therefore；　and　Polynices　went　their　way。　When　they　had　got　as　far
the　deep…meadowed　and　rush…grown　banks　of　the　Aesopus；　the　Achaeans
sent　Tydeus　as　their　envoy；　and　he　found　the　Cadmeans　gathered　in
great　numbers　to　a　banquet　in　the　house　of　Eteocles。　Stranger　though
he　was；　he　knew　no　fear　on　finding　himself　single…handed　among　so
many；　but　challenged　them　to　contests　of　all　kinds；　and　in　each　one　of
them　was　at　once　victorious；　so　mightily　did　Minerva　help　him。　The
Cadmeans　were　incensed　at　his　success；　and　set　a　force　of　fifty　youths
with　two　captains…　the　godlike　hero　Maeon；　son　of　Haemon；　and
Polyphontes；　son　of　Autophonus…　at　their　head；　to　lie　in　wait　for
him　on　his　return　journey；　but　Tydeus　slew　every　man　of　them；　save
only　Maeon；　whom　he　let　go　in　obedience　to　heaven's　omens。　Such　was
Tydeus　of　Aetolia。　His　son　can　talk　more　glibly；　but　he　cannot　fight
as　his　father　did。〃
　　Diomed　made　no　answer；　for　he　was　shamed　by　the　rebuke　of　Agamemnon；
but　the　son　of　Capaneus　took　up　his　words　and　said；　〃Son　of　Atreus；
tell　no　lies；　for　you　can　speak　truth　if　you　will。　We　boast
ourselves　as　even　better　men　than　our　fathers；　we　took　seven…gated
Thebes；　though　the　wall　was　stronger　and　our　men　were　fewer　in　number；
for　we　trusted　in　the　omens　of　the　gods　and　in　the　help　of　Jove；
whereas　they　perished　through　their　own　sheer　folly；　hold　not；　then；
our　fathers　in　like　honour　with　us。〃
　　Diomed　looked　sternly　at　him　and　said；　〃Hold　your　peace；　my
friend；　as　I　bid　you。　It　is　not　amiss　that　Agamemnon　should　urge　the
Achaeans　forward；　for　the　glory　will　be　his　if　we　take　the　city；　and
his　the　shame　if　we　are　vanquished。　Therefore　let　us　acquit
ourselves　with　valour。〃
　　As　he　spoke　he　sprang　from　his　chariot；　and　his　armour　rang　so
fiercely　about　his　body　that　even　a　brave　man　might　well　have　been
scared　to　hear　it。
　　As　when　some　mighty　wave　that　thunders　on　the　beach　when　the　west
wind　has　lashed　it　into　fury…　it　has　reared　its　head　afar　and　now
comes　crashing　down　on　the　shore；　it　bows　its　arching　crest　high
over　the　jagged　rocks　and　spews　its　salt　foam　in　all　directions…
even　so　did　the　serried　phalanxes　of　the　Danaans　march　steadfastly
to　battle。　The　chiefs　gave　orders　each　to　his　own　people；　but　the
men　said　never　a　word；　no　man　would　think　it；　for　huge　as　the　host
was；　it　seemed　as　though　there　was　not　a　tongue　among　them；　so
silent　were　they　in　their　obedience；　and　as　they　marched　the　armour
about　their　bodies　glistened　in　the　sun。　But　the　clamour　of　the　Trojan
ranks　was　as　that　of　many　thousand　ewes　that　stand　waiting　to　be
milked　in　the　yards　of　some　rich　flockmaster；　and　bleat　incessantly　in
answer　to　the　bleating　of　their　lambs；　for　they　had　not　one　speech　nor
language；　but　their　tongues　were　diverse；　and　they　came　from　many
different　places。　These　were　inspired　of　Mars；　but　the　others　by
Minerva…　and　with　them　came　Panic；　Rout；　and　Strife　whose　fury　never
tires；　sister　and　friend　of　murderous　Mars；　who；　from　being　at　first
but　low　in　stature；　grows　till　she　uprears　her　head　to　heaven；
though　her　feet　are　still　on　earth。　She　it　was　that　went　about　among
them　and　flung　down　discord　to　the　waxing　of　sorrow　with　even　hand
between　them。
　　When　they　were　got　together　in　one　place　shield　clashed　with
shield　and　spear　with　spear　in　the　rage　of　battle。　The　bossed
shields　beat　one　upon　another；　and　there　was　a　tramp　as　of　a　great
multitude…　death…cry　and　shout　of　triumph　of　slain　and　slayers；　and
the　earth　ran　red　with　blood。　As　torrents　swollen　with　rain　course
madly　down　their　deep　channels　till　the　angry　floods　meet　in　some
gorge；　and　the　shepherd　the　hillside　hears　their　roaring　from　afar…
even　such　was　the　toil　and　uproar　of　the　hosts　as　they　joined　in
battle。
　　First　Antilochus　slew　an　armed　warrior　of　the　Trojans；　Echepolus；
son　of　Thalysius；　fighting　in　the　foremost　ranks。　He　struck　at　the
projecting　part　of　his　helmet　and　drove　the　spear　into　his　brow；　the
point　of　bronze　pierced　the　bone；　and　darkness　veiled　his　eyes；
headlong　as　a　tower　he　fell　amid　the　press　of　the　fight；　and　as　he
dropped　King　Elephenor；　son　of　Chalcodon　and　captain　of　the　proud
Abantes　began　dragging　him　out　of　reach　of　the　darts　that　were　falling
around　him；　in　haste　to　strip　him　of　his　armour。　But　his　purpose　was
not　for　long；　Agenor　saw　him　haling　the　body　away；　and　smote　him　in
the　side　with　his　bronze…shod　spear…　for　as　he　stooped　his　side　was
left　unprotected　by　his　shield…　and　thus　he　perished。　Then　the　fight
between　Trojans　and　Achaeans　grew　furious　over　his　body；　and　they　flew
upon　each　other　like　wolves；　man　and　man　crushing　one　upon　the　other。
　　Forthwith　Ajax；　son　of　Telamon；　slew　the　fair　youth　Simoeisius；
son　of　Anthemion；　whom　his　mother　bore　by　the　banks　of　the　Simois；
as　she　was　coming　down　from　Mt。　Ida；　where　she　had　been　with　her
parents　to　see　their　flocks。　Therefore　he　was　named　Simoeisius；　but　he
did　not　live　to　pay　his　parents　for　his　rearing；　for　he　was　cut　off
untimely　by　the　spear　of　mighty　Ajax；　who　struck　him　in　the　breast
by　the　right　nipple　as　he　was　coming　on　among　the　foremost　fighters；
the　spear　went　right　through　his　shoulder；　and　he　fell　as　a　poplar
that　has　grown　straight　and　tall　in　a　meadow　by　some　mere；　and　its　top
is　thick　with　branches。　Then　the　wheelwright　lays　his　axe　to　its　roots
that　he　may　fashion　a　felloe　for　the　wheel　of　some　goodly　chariot；　and
it　lies　seasoning　by　the　waterside。　In　such　wise　did　Ajax　fell　to
earth　Simoeisius；　son　of　Anthemion。　Thereon　Antiphus　of　the　gleaming
corslet；　son　of　Priam；　hurled　a　spear　at　Ajax　from　amid　the　crowd
and　missed　him；　but　he　hit　Leucus；　the　brave　comrade　of　Ulysses；　in
the　groin；　as　he　was　dragging　the　body　of　Simoeisius　over　to　the　other
side；　so　he　fell　upon　the　body　and　loosed　his　hold　upon　it。　Ulysses
was　furious　when　he　saw　Leucus　slain；　and　strode　in　full　armour
through　the　front　ranks　till　he　was　quite　close；　then　he　glared
round　about　him　and　took　aim；　and　the　Trojans　fell　back　as　he　did
so。　His　dart　was　not　sped　in　vain；　for　it　struck　Democoon；　the　bastard
son　of　Priam；　who　had　come　to　him　from　Abydos；　where　he　had　charge
of　his　father's　mares。　Ulysses；　infuriated　by　the　death　of　his
comrade；　hit　him　with　his　spear　on　one　temple；　and　the　bronze　point
came　through　on　the　other　side　of　his　forehead。　Thereon　darkness
veiled　his　eyes；　and　his　armour　rang　rattling　round　him　as　he　fell
heavily　to　the　ground。　Hector；　and　they　that　were　in　front；　then
gave　round　while　the　Argives　raised　a　shout　and　drew　off　the　dead；
pressing　further　forward　as　they　did　so。　But　Apollo　looked　down　from
Pergamus　and　called　aloud　to　the　Trojans；　for　he　was　displeased。
〃Trojans；〃　he　cried；　〃rush　on　the　foe；　and　do　not　let　yourselves　be
thus　beaten　by　the　Argives。　Their　skins　are　not　stone　nor　iron　that
when　hit　them　you　do　them　no　harm。　Moreover；　Achilles；　the　son　of
lovely　Thetis；　is　not　fighting；　but　is　nursing　his　anger　at　the
ships。〃
　　Thus　spoke　the　mighty　god；　crying　to　them　from　the　city；　while
Jove's　redoubtable　daughter；　the　Trito…born；　went　about　among　the　host
of　the　Achaeans；　and　urged　them　forward　whenever　she　beheld　them
slackening。
　　Then　fate　fell　upon　Diores；　son　of　Amarynceus；　for　he　was　struck
by　a　jagged　stone　near　the　ancle　of　his　right　leg。　He　that　hurled　it
was　Peirous；　son　of　Imbrasus；　captain　of　the　Thracians；　who　had　come
from　Aenus；　the　bones　and　both　the　tendons　were　crushed　by　the
pitiless　stone。　He　fell　to　the　ground　on　his　back；　and　in　his　death
throes　stretched　out　his　hands　towards　his　comrades。　But　Peirous；
who　had　wounded　him；　sprang　on　him　and　thrust　a　spear　into　his
belly；　so　that　his　bowels　came　gushing　out　upon　the　ground；　and
darkness　veiled　his　eyes。　As　he　was　leaving　the　bo