the iliad(伊利亚特)-第30章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


towards　him　bestrode　him　and　sheltered　him　with　his　shield。
Meanwhile　his　two　trusty　squires；　Mecisteus　son　of　Echius；　and
Alastor；　came　up　and　bore　him　to　the　ships　groaning　in　his　great　pain。
glad　when　he　saw
　　Jove　now　again　put　heart　into　the　Trojans；　and　they　drove　the
Achaeans　to　their　deep　trench　with　Hector　in　all　his　glory　at　their
head。　As　a　hound　grips　a　wild　boar　or　lion　in　flank　or　buttock　when　he
gives　him　chase；　and　watches　warily　for　his　wheeling；　even　so　did
Hector　follow　close　upon　the　Achaeans；　ever　killing　the　hindmost　as
they　rushed　panic…stricken　onwards。　When　they　had　fled　through　the　set
stakes　and　trench　and　many　Achaeans　had　been　laid　low　at　the　hands
of　the　Trojans；　they　halted　at　their　ships；　calling　upon　one　another
and　praying　every　man　instantly　as　they　lifted　up　their　hands　to　the
gods；　but　Hector　wheeled　his　horses　this　way　and　that；　his　eyes
glaring　like　those　of　Gorgo　or　murderous　Mars。
　　Juno　when　she　saw　them　had　pity　upon　them；　and　at　once　said　to
Minerva；　〃Alas；　child　of　aegis…bearing　Jove；　shall　you　and　I　take　no
more　thought　for　the　dying　Danaans；　though　it　be　the　last　time　we　ever
do　so？　See　how　they　perish　and　come　to　a　bad　end　before　the　onset　of
but　a　single　man。　Hector　the　son　of　Priam　rages　with　intolerable　fury；
and　has　already　done　great　mischief。〃
　　Minerva　answered；　〃Would；　indeed；　this　fellow　might　die　in　his　own
land；　and　fall　by　the　hands　of　the　Achaeans；　but　my　father　Jove　is　mad
with　spleen；　ever　foiling　me；　ever　headstrong　and　unjust。　He　forgets
how　often　I　saved　his　son　when　he　was　worn　out　by　the　labours
Eurystheus　had　laid　on　him。　He　would　weep　till　his　cry　came　up　to
heaven；　and　then　Jove　would　send　me　down　to　help　him；　if　I　had　had　the
sense　to　foresee　all　this；　when　Eurystheus　sent　him　to　the　house　of
Hades；　to　fetch　the　hell…hound　from　Erebus；　he　would　never　have　come
back　alive　out　of　the　deep　waters　of　the　river　Styx。　And　now　Jove
hates　me；　while　he　lets　Thetis　have　her　way　because　she　kissed　his
knees　and　took　hold　of　his　beard；　when　she　was　begging　him　to　do
honour　to　Achilles。　I　shall　know　what　to　do　next　time　he　begins
calling　me　his　grey…eyed　darling。　Get　our　horses　ready；　while　I　go
within　the　house　of　aegis…bearing　Jove　and　put　on　my　armour；　we
shall　then　find　out　whether　Priam's　son　Hector　will　be　glad　to　meet　us
in　the　highways　of　battle；　or　whether　the　Trojans　will　glut　hounds　and
vultures　with　the　fat　of　their　flesh　as　they　he　dead　by　the　ships　of
the　Achaeans。〃
　　Thus　did　she　speak　and　white…armed　Juno；　daughter　of　great　Saturn；
obeyed　her　words；　she　set　about　harnessing　her　gold…bedizened
steeds；　while　Minerva　daughter　of　aegis…bearing　Jove　flung　her
richly　vesture；　made　with　her　own　hands；　on　to　the　threshold　of　her
father；　and　donned　the　shirt　of　Jove；　arming　herself　for　battle。
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　her　horses；　and　the
gates　of　heaven　bellowed　as　they　flew　open　of　their　own　accord…
gates　over　which　the　Hours　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。
　　But　father　Jove　when　he　saw　them　from　Ida　was　very　angry；　and　sent
winged　Iris　with　a　message　to　them。　〃Go；〃　said　he；　〃fleet　Iris；　turn
them　back；　and　see　that　they　do　not　come　near　me；　for　if　we　come　to
fighting　there　will　be　mischief。　This　is　what　I　say；　and　this　is
what　I　mean　to　do。　I　will　lame　their　horses　for　them；　I　will　hurl　them
from　their　chariot；　and　will　break　it　in　pieces。　It　will　take　them　all
ten　years　to　heal　the　wounds　my　lightning　shall　inflict　upon　them；
my　grey…eyed　daughter　will　then　learn　what　quarrelling　with　her　father
means。　I　am　less　surprised　and　angry　with　Juno；　for　whatever　I　say　she
always　contradicts　me。〃
　　With　this　Iris　went　her　way；　fleet　as　the　wind；　from　the　heights
of　Ida　to　the　lofty　summits　of　Olympus。　She　met　the　goddesses　at　the
outer　gates　of　its　many　valleys　and　gave　them　her　message。　〃What；〃
said　she；　〃are　you　about？　Are　you　mad？　The　son　of　Saturn　forbids
going。　This　is　what　he　says；　and　this　is　he　means　to　do；　he　will
lame　your　horses　for　you；　he　will　hurl　you　from　your　chariot；　and　will
break　it　in　pieces。　It　will　take　you　all　ten　years　to　heal　the
wounds　his　lightning　will　inflict　upon　you；　that　you　may　learn；
grey…eyed　goddess；　what　quarrelling　with　your　father　means。　He　is　less
hurt　and　angry　with　Juno；　for　whatever　he　says　she　always
contradicts　him　but　you；　bold　bold　hussy；　will　you　really　dare　to
raise　your　huge　spear　in　defiance　of　Jove？〃
　　With　this　she　left　them；　and　Juno　said　to　Minerva；　〃Of　a　truth；
child　of　aegis…bearing　Jove；　I　am　not　for　fighting　men's　battles
further　in　defiance　of　Jove。　Let　them　live　or　die　as　luck　will　have
it；　and　let　Jove　mete　out　his　judgements　upon　the　Trojans　and
Danaans　according　to　his　own　pleasure。〃
　　She　turned　her　steeds；　the　Hours　presently　unyoked　them；　made　them
fast　to　their　ambrosial　mangers；　and　leaned　the　chariot　against　the
end　wall　of　the　courtyard。　The　two　goddesses　then　sat　down　upon
their　golden　thrones；　amid　the　company　of　the　other　gods；　but　they
were　very　angry。
　　Presently　father　Jove　drove　his　chariot　to　Olympus；　and　entered
the　assembly　of　gods。　The　mighty　lord　of　the　earthquake　unyoked　his
horses　for　him；　set　the　car　upon　its　stand；　and　threw　a　cloth　over　it。
Jove　then　sat　down　upon　his　golden　throne　and　Olympus　reeled　beneath
him。　Minerva　and　Juno　sat　alone；　apart　from　Jove；　and　neither　spoke
nor　asked　him　questions；　but　Jove　knew　what　they　meant；　and　said；
〃Minerva　and　Juno；　why　are　you　so　angry？　Are　you　fatigued　with　killing
so　many　of　your　dear　friends　the　Trojans？　Be　this　as　it　may；　such　is
the　might　of　my　hands　that　all　the　gods　in　Olympus　cannot　turn　me；　you
were　both　of　you　trembling　all　over　ere　ever　you　saw　the　fight　and　its
terrible　doings。　I　tell　you　therefore…and　it　would　have　surely　been…　I
should　have　struck　you　with　lighting；　and　your　chariots　would　never
have　brought　you　back　again　to　Olympus。〃
　　Minerva　and　Juno　groaned　in　spirit　as　they　sat　side　by　side　and
brooded　mischief　for　the　Trojans。　Minerva　sat　silent　without　a　word；
for　she　was　in　a　furious　passion　and　bitterly　incensed　against　her
father；　but　Juno　could　not　contain　herself　and　said；　〃What；　dread
son　of　Saturn；　are　you　talking　about？　We　know　how　great　your　power　is；
nevertheless　we　have　compassion　upon　the　Danaan　warriors　who　are
perishing　and　coming　to　a　bad　end。　We　will；　however；　since　you　so
bid　us；　refrain　from　actual　fighting；　but　we　will　make　serviceable
suggestions　to　the　Argives；　that　they　may　not　all　of　them　perish　in
your　displeasure。〃
　　And　Jove　answered；　〃To…morrow　morning；　Juno；　if　you　choose　to　do　so；
you　will　see　the　son　of　Saturn　destroying　large　numbers　of　the
Argives；　for　fierce　Hector　shall　not　cease　fighting　till　he　has　roused
the　son　of　Peleus　when　they　are　fighting　in　dire　straits　at　their
ships'　sterns　about　the　body　of　Patroclus。　Like　it　or　no；　this　is
how　it　is　decreed；　for　aught　I　care；　you　may　go　to　the　lowest　depths
beneath　earth　and　sea；　where　Iapetus　and　Saturn　dwell　in　lone　Tartarus
with　neither　ray　of　light　nor　breath　of　wind　to　cheer　them。　You　may　go
on　and　on　till　you　get　there；　and　I　shall　not　care　one　whit　for　your
displeasure；　you　are　the　greatest　vixen　living。〃
　　Juno　made　him　no　answer。　The　sun's　glorious　orb　now　sank　into
Oceanus　and　drew　down　night　over　the　land。　Sorry　indeed　were　the
Trojans　when　light　failed　them；　but　welcome　and　thrice　prayed　for
did　darkness　fall　upon　the　Achaeans。
　　Then　Hector　led　the　Trojans　back　from　the　ships；　and　held　a
council　on　the　open　space　near　the　river；　where　there　was　a　spot　ear
corpses。　They　left　their　chariots　and　sat　down　on　the　ground　to　hear
the　speech　he　made　them。　He　grasped　a　spear　eleven　cubits　long；　the
bronze　point　of　which　gleamed　in　front　of　it；　while　the　ring　round　the
spear…head　was　of　gold　Spear　in　hand　he　spoke。　〃Hear　me；〃　said　he；
〃Trojans；　Dardanians；　and　allies。　I　deemed　but　now　that　I　should
destroy　the　ships　and　all　the　Achaean