the iliad(伊利亚特)-第24章

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　　And　Hector　answered；　〃Bid　me　not　be　seated；　Helen；　for　all　the
goodwill　you　bear　me。　I　cannot　stay。　I　am　in　haste　to　help　the
Trojans；　who　miss　me　greatly　when　I　am　not　among　them；　but　urge　your
husband；　and　of　his　own　self　also　let　him　make　haste　to　overtake　me
before　I　am　out　of　the　city。　I　must　go　home　to　see　my　household；　my
wife　and　my　little　son；　for　I　know　not　whether　I　shall　ever　again
return　to　them；　or　whether　the　gods　will　cause　me　to　fill　by　the　hands
of　the　Achaeans。〃
　　Then　Hector　left　her；　and　forthwith　was　at　his　own　house。　He　did　not
find　Andromache；　for　she　was　on　the　wall　with　her　child　and　one　of　her
maids；　weeping　bitterly。　Seeing；　then；　that　she　was　not　within；　he
stood　on　the　threshold　of　the　women's　rooms　and　said；　〃Women；　tell　me；
and　tell　me　true；　where　did　Andromache　go　when　she　left　the　house？　Was
it　to　my　sisters；　or　to　my　brothers'　wives？　or　is　she　at　the　temple　of
Minerva　where　the　other　women　are　propitiating　the　awful　goddess？〃
　　His　good　housekeeper　answered；　〃Hector；　since　you　bid　me　tell　you
truly；　she　did　not　go　to　your　sisters　nor　to　your　brothers'　wives；　nor
yet　to　the　temple　of　Minerva；　where　the　other　women　are　propitiating
the　awful　goddess；　but　she　is　on　the　high　wall　of　Ilius；　for　she　had
heard　the　Trojans　were　being　hard　pressed；　and　that　the　Achaeans
were　in　great　force：　she　went　to　the　wall　in　frenzied　haste；　and　the
nurse　went　with　her　carrying　the　child。〃
　　Hector　hurried　from　the　house　when　she　had　done　speaking；　and　went
down　the　streets　by　the　same　way　that　he　had　come。　When　he　had　gone
through　the　city　and　had　reached　the　Scaean　gates　through　which　he
would　go　out　on　to　the　plain；　his　wife　came　running　towards　him；
Andromache；　daughter　of　great　Eetion　who　ruled　in　Thebe　under　the
wooded　slopes　of　Mt。　Placus；　and　was　king　of　the　Cilicians。　His
daughter　had　married　Hector；　and　now　came　to　meet　him　with　a　nurse　who
carried　his　little　child　in　her　bosom…　a　mere　babe。　Hector's　darling
son；　and　lovely　as　a　star。　Hector　had　named　him　Scamandrius；　but　the
people　called　him　Astyanax；　for　his　father　stood　alone　as　chief
guardian　of　Ilius。　Hector　smiled　as　he　looked　upon　the　boy；　but　he　did
not　speak；　and　Andromache　stood　by　him　weeping　and　taking　his　hand
in　her　own。　〃Dear　husband；〃　said　she；　〃your　valour　will　bring　you　to
destruction；　think　on　your　infant　son；　and　on　my　hapless　self　who
ere　long　shall　be　your　widow…　for　the　Achaeans　will　set　upon　you　in
a　body　and　kill　you。　It　would　be　better　for　me；　should　I　lose　you；
to　lie　dead　and　buried；　for　I　shall　have　nothing　left　to　comfort　me
when　you　are　gone；　save　only　sorrow。　I　have　neither　father　nor
mother　now。　Achilles　slew　my　father　when　he　sacked　Thebe　the　goodly
city　of　the　Cilicians。　He　slew　him；　but　did　not　for　very　shame　despoil
him；　when　he　had　burned　him　in　his　wondrous　armour；　he　raised　a　barrow
over　his　ashes　and　the　mountain　nymphs；　daughters　of　aegis…bearing
Jove；　planted　a　grove　of　elms　about　his　tomb。　I　had　seven　brothers
in　my　father's　house；　but　on　the　same　day　they　all　went　within　the
house　of　Hades。　Achilles　killed　them　as　they　were　with　their　sheep　and
cattle。　My　mother…　her　who　had　been　queen　of　all　the　land　under　Mt。
Placus…　he　brought　hither　with　the　spoil；　and　freed　her　for　a　great
sum；　but　the　archer…　queen　Diana　took　her　in　the　house　of　your　father。
Nay…　Hector…　you　who　to　me　are　father；　mother；　brother；　and　dear
husband…　have　mercy　upon　me；　stay　here　upon　this　wall；　make　not　your
child　fatherless；　and　your　wife　a　widow；　as　for　the　host；　place　them
near　the　fig…tree；　where　the　city　can　be　best　scaled；　and　the　wall
is　weakest。　Thrice　have　the　bravest　of　them　come　thither　and
assailed　it；　under　the　two　Ajaxes；　Idomeneus；　the　sons　of　Atreus；
and　the　brave　son　of　Tydeus；　either　of　their　own　bidding；　or　because
some　soothsayer　had　told　them。〃
　　And　Hector　answered；　〃Wife；　I　too　have　thought　upon　all　this；　but
with　what　face　should　I　look　upon　the　Trojans；　men　or　women；　if　I
shirked　battle　like　a　coward？　I　cannot　do　so：　I　know　nothing　save　to
fight　bravely　in　the　forefront　of　the　Trojan　host　and　win　renown　alike
for　my　father　and　myself。　Well　do　I　know　that　the　day　will　surely　come
when　mighty　Ilius　shall　be　destroyed　with　Priam　and　Priam's　people；
but　I　grieve　for　none　of　these…　not　even　for　Hecuba；　nor　King　Priam；
nor　for　my　brothers　many　and　brave　who　may　fall　in　the　dust　before
their　foes…　for　none　of　these　do　I　grieve　as　for　yourself　when　the　day
shall　come　on　which　some　one　of　the　Achaeans　shall　rob　you　for　ever　of
your　freedom；　and　bear　you　weeping　away。　It　may　be　that　you　will
have　to　ply　the　loom　in　Argos　at　the　bidding　of　a　mistress；　or　to
fetch　water　from　the　springs　Messeis　or　Hypereia；　treated　brutally
by　some　cruel　task…master；　then　will　one　say　who　sees　you　weeping；
'She　was　wife　to　Hector；　the　bravest　warrior　among　the　Trojans
during　the　war　before　Ilius。'　On　this　your　tears　will　break　forth　anew
for　him　who　would　have　put　away　the　day　of　captivity　from　you。　May　I
lie　dead　under　the　barrow　that　is　heaped　over　my　body　ere　I　hear
your　cry　as　they　carry　you　into　bondage。〃
　　He　stretched　his　arms　towards　his　child；　but　the　boy　cried　and
nestled　in　his　nurse's　bosom；　scared　at　the　sight　of　his　father's
armour；　and　at　the　horse…hair　plume　that　nodded　fiercely　from　his
helmet。　His　father　and　mother　laughed　to　see　him；　but　Hector　took
the　helmet　from　his　head　and　laid　it　all　gleaming　upon　the　ground。
Then　he　took　his　darling　child；　kissed　him；　and　dandled　him　in　his
arms；　praying　over　him　the　while　to　Jove　and　to　all　the　gods。
〃Jove；〃　he　cried；　〃grant　that　this　my　child　may　be　even　as　myself；
chief　among　the　Trojans；　let　him　be　not　less　excellent　in　strength；
and　let　him　rule　Ilius　with　his　might。　Then　may　one　say　of　him　as　he
comes　from　battle；　'The　son　is　far　better　than　the　father。'　May　he
bring　back　the　blood…stained　spoils　of　him　whom　he　has　laid　low；　and
let　his　mother's　heart　be　glad。'〃
　　With　this　he　laid　the　child　again　in　the　arms　of　his　wife；　who
took　him　to　her　own　soft　bosom；　smiling　through　her　tears。　As　her
husband　watched　her　his　heart　yearned　towards　her　and　he　caressed
her　fondly；　saying；　〃My　own　wife；　do　not　take　these　things　too
bitterly　to　heart。　No　one　can　hurry　me　down　to　Hades　before　my　time；
but　if　a　man's　hour　is　come；　be　he　brave　or　be　he　coward；　there　is
no　escape　for　him　when　he　has　once　been　born。　Go；　then；　within　the
house；　and　busy　yourself　with　your　daily　duties；　your　loom；　your
distaff；　and　the　ordering　of　your　servants；　for　war　is　man's　matter；
and　mine　above　all　others　of　them　that　have　been　born　in　Ilius。〃
　　He　took　his　plumed　helmet　from　the　ground；　and　his　wife　went　back
again　to　her　house；　weeping　bitterly　and　often　looking　back　towards
him。　When　she　reached　her　home　she　found　her　maidens　within；　and
bade　them　all　join　in　her　lament；　so　they　mourned　Hector　in　his　own
house　though　he　was　yet　alive；　for　they　deemed　that　they　should
never　see　him　return　safe　from　battle；　and　from　the　furious　hands　of
the　Achaeans。
　　Paris　did　not　remain　long　in　his　house。　He　donned　his　goodly
armour　overlaid　with　bronze；　and　hasted　through　the　city　as　fast　as
his　feet　could　take　him。　As　a　horse；　stabled　and　fed；　breaks　loose　and
gallops　gloriously　over　the　plain　to　the　place　where　he　is　wont　to
bathe　in　the　fair…flowing　river…　he　holds　his　head　high；　and　his
mane　streams　upon　his　shoulders　as　he　exults　in　his　strength　and　flies
like　the　wind　to　the　haunts　and　feeding　ground　of　the　mares…　even　so
went　forth　Paris　from　high　Pergamus；　gleaming　like　sunlight　in　his
armour；　and　he　laughed　aloud　as　he　sped　swiftly　on　his　way。
Forthwith　he　came　upon　his　brother　Hector；　who　was　then　turning　away
from　the　place　where　he　had　held　converse　with　his　wife；　and　he　was
himself　the　first　to　speak。　〃Sir；〃　said　he；　〃I　fear　that　I　have　kept
you　waiting　when　you　are　in　haste；　and　have　not　come　as　quickly　as　you
bade　me。〃
　　〃My　good　brother；〃　answered　Hector；　you　fight　bravely；　and　no　man
with　any　justice　can　make　light　of　your　doings　in　battle。　But　you
are　careless　and　wilfully　remiss。　It　grieves　me　to　the　heart　to　hear
the　ill　that　the　Trojans　speak　about　you；　for　they　have　suffered
much　on