the iliad(伊利亚特)-第2章

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Menelaus。　You　forget　this；　and　threaten　to　rob　me　of　the　prize　for
which　I　have　toiled；　and　which　the　sons　of　the　Achaeans　have　given　me。
Never　when　the　Achaeans　sack　any　rich　city　of　the　Trojans　do　I　receive
so　good　a　prize　as　you　do；　though　it　is　my　hands　that　do　the　better
part　of　the　fighting。　When　the　sharing　comes；　your　share　is　far　the
largest；　and　I；　forsooth；　must　go　back　to　my　ships；　take　what　I　can
get　and　be　thankful；　when　my　labour　of　fighting　is　done。　Now；
therefore；　I　shall　go　back　to　Phthia；　it　will　be　much　better　for　me　to
return　home　with　my　ships；　for　I　will　not　stay　here　dishonoured　to
gather　gold　and　substance　for　you。〃
　　And　Agamemnon　answered；　〃Fly　if　you　will；　I　shall　make　you　no
prayers　to　stay　you。　I　have　others　here　who　will　do　me　honour；　and
above　all　Jove；　the　lord　of　counsel。　There　is　no　king　here　so
hateful　to　me　as　you　are；　for　you　are　ever　quarrelsome　and　ill
affected。　What　though　you　be　brave？　Was　it　not　heaven　that　made　you
so？　Go　home；　then；　with　your　ships　and　comrades　to　lord　it　over　the
Myrmidons。　I　care　neither　for　you　nor　for　your　anger；　and　thus　will
I　do：　since　Phoebus　Apollo　is　taking　Chryseis　from　me；　I　shall　send
her　with　my　ship　and　my　followers；　but　I　shall　come　to　your　tent　and
take　your　own　prize　Briseis；　that　you　may　learn　how　much　stronger　I　am
than　you　are；　and　that　another　may　fear　to　set　himself　up　as　equal
or　comparable　with　me。〃
　　The　son　of　Peleus　was　furious；　and　his　heart　within　his　shaggy
breast　was　divided　whether　to　draw　his　sword；　push　the　others　aside；
and　kill　the　son　of　Atreus；　or　to　restrain　himself　and　check　his
anger。　While　he　was　thus　in　two　minds；　and　was　drawing　his　mighty
sword　from　its　scabbard；　Minerva　came　down　from　heaven　（for　Juno　had
sent　her　in　the　love　she　bore　to　them　both）；　and　seized　the　son　of
Peleus　by　his　yellow　hair；　visible　to　him　alone；　for　of　the　others
no　man　could　see　her。　Achilles　turned　in　amaze；　and　by　the　fire　that
flashed　from　her　eyes　at　once　knew　that　she　was　Minerva。　〃Why　are
you　here；〃　said　he；　〃daughter　of　aegis…bearing　Jove？　To　see　the
pride　of　Agamemnon；　son　of　Atreus？　Let　me　tell　you…　and　it　shall
surely　be…　he　shall　pay　for　this　insolence　with　his　life。〃
　　And　Minerva　said；　〃I　come　from　heaven；　if　you　will　hear　me；　to　bid
you　stay　your　anger。　Juno　has　sent　me；　who　cares　for　both　of　you
alike。　Cease；　then；　this　brawling；　and　do　not　draw　your　sword；　rail　at
him　if　you　will；　and　your　railing　will　not　be　vain；　for　I　tell　you…
and　it　shall　surely　be…　that　you　shall　hereafter　receive　gifts　three
times　as　splendid　by　reason　of　this　present　insult。　Hold；　therefore；
and　obey。〃
　　〃Goddess；〃　answered　Achilles；　〃however　angry　a　man　may　be；　he　must
do　as　you　two　command　him。　This　will　be　best；　for　the　gods　ever　hear
the　prayers　of　him　who　has　obeyed　them。〃
　　He　stayed　his　hand　on　the　silver　hilt　of　his　sword；　and　thrust　it
back　into　the　scabbard　as　Minerva　bade　him。　Then　she　went　back　to
Olympus　among　the　other　gods；　and　to　the　house　of　aegis…bearing　Jove。
　　But　the　son　of　Peleus　again　began　railing　at　the　son　of　Atreus；
for　he　was　still　in　a　rage。　〃Wine…bibber；〃　he　cried；　〃with　the　face　of
a　dog　and　the　heart　of　a　hind；　you　never　dare　to　go　out　with　the
host　in　fight；　nor　yet　with　our　chosen　men　in　ambuscade。　You　shun　this
as　you　do　death　itself。　You　had　rather　go　round　and　rob　his　prizes
from　any　man　who　contradicts　you。　You　devour　your　people；　for　you
are　king　over　a　feeble　folk；　otherwise；　son　of　Atreus；　henceforward
you　would　insult　no　man。　Therefore　I　say；　and　swear　it　with　a　great
oath…　nay；　by　this　my　sceptre　which　shalt　sprout　neither　leaf　nor
shoot；　nor　bud　anew　from　the　day　on　which　it　left　its　parent　stem　upon
the　mountains…　for　the　axe　stripped　it　of　leaf　and　bark；　and　now　the
sons　of　the　Achaeans　bear　it　as　judges　and　guardians　of　the　decrees　of
heaven…　so　surely　and　solemnly　do　I　swear　that　hereafter　they　shall
look　fondly　for　Achilles　and　shall　not　find　him。　In　the　day　of　your
distress；　when　your　men　fall　dying　by　the　murderous　hand　of　Hector；
you　shall　not　know　how　to　help　them；　and　shall　rend　your　heart　with
rage　for　the　hour　when　you　offered　insult　to　the　bravest　of　the
Achaeans。〃
　　With　this　the　son　of　Peleus　dashed　his　gold…bestudded　sceptre　on　the
ground　and　took　his　seat；　while　the　son　of　Atreus　was　beginning
fiercely　from　his　place　upon　the　other　side。　Then　uprose
smooth…tongued　Nestor；　the　facile　speaker　of　the　Pylians；　and　the
words　fell　from　his　lips　sweeter　than　honey。　Two　generations　of　men
born　and　bred　in　Pylos　had　passed　away　under　his　rule；　and　he　was
now　reigning　over　the　third。　With　all　sincerity　and　goodwill；
therefore；　he　addressed　them　thus：…
　　〃Of　a　truth；〃　he　said；　〃a　great　sorrow　has　befallen　the　Achaean
land。　Surely　Priam　with　his　sons　would　rejoice；　and　the　Trojans　be
glad　at　heart　if　they　could　hear　this　quarrel　between　you　two；　who　are
so　excellent　in　fight　and　counsel。　I　am　older　than　either　of　you；
therefore　be　guided　by　me。　Moreover　I　have　been　the　familiar　friend　of
men　even　greater　than　you　are；　and　they　did　not　disregard　my　counsels。
Never　again　can　I　behold　such　men　as　Pirithous　and　Dryas　shepherd　of
his　people；　or　as　Caeneus；　Exadius；　godlike　Polyphemus；　and　Theseus
son　of　Aegeus；　peer　of　the　immortals。　These　were　the　mightiest　men
ever　born　upon　this　earth：　mightiest　were　they；　and　when　they　fought
the　fiercest　tribes　of　mountain　savages　they　utterly　overthrew　them。　I
came　from　distant　Pylos；　and　went　about　among　them；　for　they　would
have　me　come；　and　I　fought　as　it　was　in　me　to　do。　Not　a　man　now　living
could　withstand　them；　but　they　heard　my　words；　and　were　persuaded　by
them。　So　be　it　also　with　yourselves；　for　this　is　the　more　excellent
way。　Therefore；　Agamemnon；　though　you　be　strong；　take　not　this　girl
away；　for　the　sons　of　the　Achaeans　have　already　given　her　to　Achilles；
and　you；　Achilles；　strive　not　further　with　the　king；　for　no　man　who　by
the　grace　of　Jove　wields　a　sceptre　has　like　honour　with　Agamemnon。　You
are　strong；　and　have　a　goddess　for　your　mother；　but　Agamemnon　is
stronger　than　you；　for　he　has　more　people　under　him。　Son　of　Atreus；
check　your　anger；　I　implore　you；　end　this　quarrel　with　Achilles；　who
in　the　day　of　battle　is　a　tower　of　strength　to　the　Achaeans。〃
　　And　Agamemnon　answered；　〃Sir；　all　that　you　have　said　is　true；　but
this　fellow　must　needs　become　our　lord　and　master：　he　must　be　lord
of　all；　king　of　all；　and　captain　of　all；　and　this　shall　hardly　be。
Granted　that　the　gods　have　made　him　a　great　warrior；　have　they　also
given　him　the　right　to　speak　with　railing？〃
　　Achilles　interrupted　him。　〃I　should　be　a　mean　coward；〃　he　cried；
〃were　I　to　give　in　to　you　in　all　things。　Order　other　people　about；　not
me；　for　I　shall　obey　no　longer。　Furthermore　I　say…　and　lay　my　saying
to　your　heart…　I　shall　fight　neither　you　nor　any　man　about　this
girl；　for　those　that　take　were　those　also　that　gave。　But　of　all　else
that　is　at　my　ship　you　shall　carry　away　nothing　by　force。　Try；　that
others　may　see；　if　you　do；　my　spear　shall　be　reddened　with　your
blood。〃
　　When　they　had　quarrelled　thus　angrily；　they　rose；　and　broke　up　the
assembly　at　the　ships　of　the　Achaeans。　The　son　of　Peleus　went　back
to　his　tents　and　ships　with　the　son　of　Menoetius　and　his　company；
while　Agamemnon　drew　a　vessel　into　the　water　and　chose　a　crew　of
twenty　oarsmen。　He　escorted　Chryseis　on　board　and　sent　moreover　a
hecatomb　for　the　god。　And　Ulysses　went　as　captain。
　　These；　then；　went　on　board　and　sailed　their　ways　over　the　sea。　But
the　son　of　Atreus　bade　the　people　purify　themselves；　so　they
purified　themselves　and　cast　their　filth　into　the　sea。　Then　they
offered　hecatombs　of　bulls　and　goats　without　blemish　on　the　sea…shore；
and　the　smoke　with　the　savour　of　their　sacrifice　rose　curling　up
towards　heaven。
　　Thus　did　they　busy　themselves　throughout　the　host。　But　Agamemnon　did
not　forget　the　threat　that　he　had　made　Achilles；　and　called　his　trusty
messengers　and　squires　Talthybius　and　Eurybates。　〃Go；〃　said　he；　〃to
the　tent　of　Achilles；　son　of　Peleus；　take　Briseis　by　the　hand　and
bring　her　hither；　if　he　will　not　give　her　I　shall　come　with　others　and
take　her…　which　will　press　him　harder。〃
　　He　charged　them