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第20章

the iliad(伊利亚特)-第20章

小说: the iliad(伊利亚特) 字数: 每页4000字

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struck him in the belt; the spear pierced the lower part of his belly;
and he fell heavily to the ground。 Then Ajax ran towards him to
strip him of his armour; but the Trojans rained spears upon him;
many of which fell upon his shield。 He planted his heel upon the
body and drew out his spear; but the darts pressed so heavily upon him
that he could not strip the goodly armour from his shoulders。 The
Trojan chieftains; moreover; many and valiant; came about him with
their spears; so that he dared not stay; great; brave and valiant
though he was; they drove him from them and he was beaten back。
  Thus; then; did the battle rage between them。 Presently the strong
hand of fate impelled Tlepolemus; the son of Hercules; a man both
brave and of great stature; to fight Sarpedon; so the two; son and
grandson of great Jove; drew near to one another; and Tlepolemus spoke
first。 〃Sarpedon;〃 said he; 〃councillor of the Lycians; why should you
come skulking here you who are a man of peace? They lie who call you
son of aegis…bearing Jove; for you are little like those who were of
old his children。 Far other was Hercules; my own brave and
lion…hearted father; who came here for the horses of Laomedon; and
though he had six ships only; and few men to follow him; sacked the
city of Ilius and made a wilderness of her highways。 You are a coward;
and your people are falling from you。 For all your strength; and all
your coming from Lycia; you will be no help to the Trojans but will
pass the gates of Hades vanquished by my hand。〃
  And Sarpedon; captain of the Lycians; answered; 〃Tlepolemus; your
father overthrew Ilius by reason of Laomedon's folly in refusing
payment to one who had served him well。 He would not give your
father the horses which he had come so far to fetch。 As for
yourself; you shall meet death by my spear。 You shall yield glory to
myself; and your soul to Hades of the noble steeds。〃
  Thus spoke Sarpedon; and Tlepolemus upraised his spear。 They threw
at the same moment; and Sarpedon struck his foe in the middle of his
throat; the spear went right through; and the darkness of death fell
upon his eyes。 Tlepolemus's spear struck Sarpedon on the left thigh
with such force that it tore through the flesh and grazed the bone;
but his father as yet warded off destruction from him。
  His comrades bore Sarpedon out of the fight; in great pain by the
weight of the spear that was dragging from his wound。 They were in
such haste and stress as they bore him that no one thought of
drawing the spear from his thigh so as to let him walk uprightly。
Meanwhile the Achaeans carried off the body of Tlepolemus; whereon
Ulysses was moved to pity; and panted for the fray as he beheld
them。 He doubted whether to pursue the son of Jove; or to make
slaughter of the Lycian rank and file; it was not decreed; however;
that he should slay the son of Jove; Minerva; therefore; turned him
against the main body of the Lycians。 He killed Coeranus; Alastor;
Chromius; Alcandrus; Halius; Noemon; and Prytanis; and would have
slain yet more; had not great Hector marked him; and sped to the front
of the fight clad in his suit of mail; filling the Danaans with
terror。 Sarpedon was glad when he saw him coming; and besought him;
saying; 〃Son of Priam; let me not he here to fall into the hands of
the Danaans。 Help me; and since I may not return home to gladden the
hearts of my wife and of my infant son; let me die within the walls of
your city。〃
  Hector made him no answer; but rushed onward to fall at once upon
the Achaeans and。 kill many among them。 His comrades then bore
Sarpedon away and laid him beneath Jove's spreading oak tree。 Pelagon;
his friend and comrade drew the spear out of his thigh; but Sarpedon
fainted and a mist came over his eyes。 Presently he came to himself
again; for the breath of the north wind as it played upon him gave him
new life; and brought him out of the deep swoon into which he had
fallen。
  Meanwhile the Argives were neither driven towards their ships by
Mars and Hector; nor yet did they attack them; when they knew that
Mars was with the Trojans they retreated; but kept their faces still
turned towards the foe。 Who; then; was first and who last to be
slain by Mars and Hector? They were valiant Teuthras; and Orestes
the renowned charioteer; Trechus the Aetolian warrior; Oenomaus;
Helenus the son of Oenops; and Oresbius of the gleaming girdle; who
was possessed of great wealth; and dwelt by the Cephisian lake with
the other Boeotians who lived near him; owners of a fertile country。
  Now when the goddess Juno saw the Argives thus falling; she said
to Minerva; 〃Alas; daughter of aegis…bearing Jove; unweariable; the
promise we made Menelaus that he should not return till he had
sacked the city of Ilius will be of none effect if we let Mars rage
thus furiously。 Let us go into the fray at once。〃
  Minerva did not gainsay her。 Thereon the august goddess; daughter of
great Saturn; began to harness her gold…bedizened steeds。 Hebe with
all speed fitted on the eight…spoked wheels of bronze that were on
either side of the iron axle…tree。 The felloes of the wheels were of
gold; imperishable; and over these there was a tire of bronze;
wondrous to behold。 The naves of the wheels were silver; turning round
the axle upon either side。 The car itself was made with plaited
bands of gold and silver; and it had a double top…rail running all
round it。 From the body of the car there went a pole of silver; on
to the end of which she bound the golden yoke; with the bands of
gold that were to go under the necks of the horses Then Juno put her
steeds under the yoke; eager for battle and the war…cry。
  Meanwhile Minerva flung her richly embroidered vesture; made with
her own hands; on to her father's threshold; and donned the shirt of
Jove; arming herself for battle。 She threw her tasselled aegis
about。 her shoulders; wreathed round with Rout as with a fringe; and
on it were Strife; and Strength; and Panic whose blood runs cold;
moreover there was the head of the dread monster Gorgon;; grim and
awful to behold; portent of aegis…bearing Jove。 On her head she set
her helmet of gold; with four plumes; and coming to a peak both in
front and behind… decked with the emblems of a hundred cities; then
she stepped into her flaming chariot and grasped the spear; so stout
and sturdy and strong; with which she quells the ranks of heroes who
have displeased her。 Juno lashed the horses on; and the gates of
heaven bellowed as they flew open of their own accord …gates over
which the flours preside; in whose hands are Heaven and Olympus;
either to open the dense cloud that hides them; or to close it。
Through these the goddesses drove their obedient steeds; and found the
son of Saturn sitting all alone on the topmost ridges of Olympus。
There Juno stayed her horses; and spoke to Jove the son of Saturn;
lord of all。 〃Father Jove;〃 said she; 〃are you not angry with Mars for
these high doings? how great and goodly a host of the Achaeans he
has destroyed to my great grief; and without either right or reason;
while the Cyprian and Apollo are enjoying it all at their ease and
setting this unrighteous madman on to do further mischief。 I hope;
Father Jove; that you will not be angry if I hit Mars hard; and
chase him out of the battle。〃
  And Jove answered; 〃Set Minerva on to him; for she punishes him more
often than any one else does。〃
  Juno did as he had said。 She lashed her horses; and they flew
forward nothing loth midway betwixt earth and sky。 As far as a man can
see when he looks out upon the sea from some high beacon; so far can
the loud…neighing horses of the gods spring at a single bound。 When
they reached Troy and the place where its two flowing streams Simois
and Scamander meet; there Juno stayed them and took them from the
chariot。 She hid them in a thick cloud; and Simois made ambrosia
spring up for them to eat; the two goddesses then went on; flying like
turtledoves in their eagerness to help the Argives。 When they came
to the part where the bravest and most in number were gathered about
mighty Diomed; fighting like lions or wild boars of great strength and
endurance; there 

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