the iliad(伊利亚特)-第32章

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hands　on　the　good　things　that　were　before　them；　and　as　soon　as　they
had　enough　to　eat　and　drink；　old　Nestor；　whose　counsel　was　ever
truest；　was　the　first　to　lay　his　mind　before　them。　He；　therefore；　with
all　sincerity　and　goodwill　addressed　them　thus。
　　〃With　yourself；　most　noble　son　of　Atreus；　king　of　men；　Agamemnon；
will　I　both　begin　my　speech　and　end　it；　for　you　are　king　over　much
people。　Jove；　moreover；　has　vouchsafed　you　to　wield　the　sceptre　and　to
uphold　righteousness；　that　you　may　take　thought　for　your　people
under　you；　therefore　it　behooves　you　above　all　others　both　to　speak
and　to　give　ear；　and　to　out　the　counsel　of　another　who　shall　have　been
minded　to　speak　wisely。　All　turns　on　you　and　on　your　commands；
therefore　I　will　say　what　I　think　will　be　best。　No　man　will　be　of　a
truer　mind　than　that　which　has　been　mine　from　the　hour　when　you；
sir；　angered　Achilles　by　taking　the　girl　Briseis　from　his　tent　against
my　judgment。　I　urged　you　not　to　do　so；　but　you　yielded　to　your　own
pride；　and　dishonoured　a　hero　whom　heaven　itself　had　honoured…　for　you
still　hold　the　prize　that　had　been　awarded　to　him。　Now；　however；　let
us　think　how　we　may　appease　him；　both　with　presents　and　fair
speeches　that　may　conciliate　him。〃
　　And　King　Agamemnon　answered；　〃Sir；　you　have　reproved　my　folly
justly。　I　was　wrong。　I　own　it。　One　whom　heaven　befriends　is　in　himself
a　host；　and　Jove　has　shown　that　he　befriends　this　man　by　destroying
much　people　of　the　Achaeans。　I　was　blinded　with　passion　and　yielded　to
my　worser　mind；　therefore　I　will　make　amends；　and　will　give　him
great　gifts　by　way　of　atonement。　I　will　tell　them　in　the　presence　of
you　all。　I　will　give　him　seven　tripods　that　have　never　yet　been　on　the
fire；　and　ten　talents　of　gold。　I　will　give　him　twenty　iron　cauldrons
and　twelve　strong　horses　that　have　won　races　and　carried　off　prizes。
Rich；　indeed；　both　in　land　and　gold　is　he　that　has　as　many　prizes　as
my　horses　have　won　me。　I　will　give　him　seven　excellent　workwomen；
Lesbians；　whom　I　chose　for　myself　when　he　took　Lesbos…　all　of
surpassing　beauty。　I　will　give　him　these；　and　with　them　her　whom　I
erewhile　took　from　him；　the　daughter　of　Briseus；　and　I　swear　a　great
oath　that　I　never　went　up　into　her　couch；　nor　have　been　with　her　after
the　manner　of　men　and　women。
　　〃All　these　things　will　I　give　him　now　down；　and　if　hereafter　the
gods　vouchsafe　me　to　sack　the　city　of　Priam；　let　him　come　when　we
Achaeans　are　dividing　the　spoil；　and　load　his　ship　with　gold　and
bronze　to　his　liking；　furthermore　let　him　take　twenty　Trojan　women；
the　loveliest　after　Helen　herself。　Then；　when　we　reach　Achaean
Argos；　wealthiest　of　all　lands；　he　shall　be　my　son…in…law　and　I　will
show　him　like　honour　with　my　own　dear　son　Orestes；　who　is　being
nurtured　in　all　abundance。　I　have　three　daughters；　Chrysothemis；
Laodice；　and　lphianassa；　let　him　take　the　one　of　his　choice；　freely
and　without　gifts　of　wooing；　to　the　house　of　Peleus；　I　will　add　such
dower　to　boot　as　no　man　ever　yet　gave　his　daughter；　and　will　give
him　seven　well　established　cities；　Cardamyle；　Enope；　and　Hire；　where
there　is　grass；　holy　Pherae　and　the　rich　meadows　of　Anthea；　Aepea
also；　and　the　vine…clad　slopes　of　Pedasus；　all　near　the　sea；　and　on
the　borders　of　sandy　Pylos。　The　men　that　dwell　there　are　rich　in
cattle　and　sheep；　they　will　honour　him　with　gifts　as　though　he　were
a　god；　and　be　obedient　to　his　comfortable　ordinances。　All　this　will
I　do　if　he　will　now　forgo　his　anger。　Let　him　then　yieldit　is　only
Hades　who　is　utterly　ruthless　and　unyielding…　and　hence　he　is　of　all
gods　the　one　most　hateful　to　mankind。　Moreover　I　am　older　and　more
royal　than　himself。　Therefore；　let　him　now　obey　me。〃
　　Then　Nestor　answered；　〃Most　noble　son　of　Atreus；　king　of　men；
Agamemnon。　The　gifts　you　offer　are　no　small　ones；　let　us　then　send
chosen　messengers；　who　may　go　to　the　tent　of　Achilles　son　of　Peleus
without　delay。　Let　those　go　whom　I　shall　name。　Let　Phoenix；　dear　to
Jove；　lead　the　way；　let　Ajax　and　Ulysses　follow；　and　let　the　heralds
Odius　and　Eurybates　go　with　them。　Now　bring　water　for　our　hands；　and
bid　all　keep　silence　while　we　pray　to　Jove　the　son　of　Saturn；　if　so　be
that　he　may　have　mercy　upon　us。〃
　　Thus　did　he　speak；　and　his　saying　pleased　them　well。　Men…servants
poured　water　over　the　hands　of　the　guests；　while　pages　filled　the
mixing…bowls　with　wine　and　water；　and　handed　it　round　after　giving
every　man　his　drink…offering；　then；　when　they　had　made　their
offerings；　and　had　drunk　each　as　much　as　he　was　minded；　the　envoys　set
out　from　the　tent　of　Agamemnon　son　of　Atreus；　and　Nestor；　looking
first　to　one　and　then　to　another；　but　most　especially　at　Ulysses；
was　instant　with　them　that　they　should　prevail　with　the　noble　son　of
Peleus。
　　They　went　their　way　by　the　shore　of　the　sounding　sea；　and　prayed
earnestly　to　earth…encircling　Neptune　that　the　high　spirit　of　the
son　of　Aeacus　might　incline　favourably　towards　them。　When　they　reached
the　ships　and　tents　of　the　Myrmidons；　they　found　Achilles　playing　on　a
lyre；　fair；　of　cunning　workmanship；　and　its　cross…bar　was　of　silver。
It　was　part　of　the　spoils　which　he　had　taken　when　he　sacked　the　city
of　Eetion；　and　he　was　now　diverting　himself　with　it　and　singing　the
feats　of　heroes。　He　was　alone　with　Patroclus；　who　sat　opposite　to
him　and　said　nothing；　waiting　till　he　should　cease　singing。　Ulysses
and　Ajax　now　came　in…　Ulysses　leading　the　way　…and　stood　before　him。
Achilles　sprang　from　his　seat　with　the　lyre　still　in　his　hand；　and
Patroclus；　when　he　saw　the　strangers；　rose　also。　Achilles　then　greeted
them　saying；　〃All　hail　and　welcome…　you　must　come　upon　some　great
matter；　you；　who　for　all　my　anger　are　still　dearest　to　me　of　the
Achaeans。〃
　　With　this　he　led　them　forward；　and　bade　them　sit　on　seats　covered
with　purple　rugs；　then　he　said　to　Patroclus　who　was　close　by　him；　〃Son
of　Menoetius；　set　a　larger　bowl　upon　the　table；　mix　less　water　with
the　wine；　and　give　every　man　his　cup；　for　these　are　very　dear　friends；
who　are　now　under　my　roof。〃
　　Patroclus　did　as　his　comrade　bade　him；　he　set　the　chopping…block
in　front　of　the　fire；　and　on　it　he　laid　the　loin　of　a　sheep；　the
loin　also　of　a　goat；　and　the　chine　of　a　fat　hog。　Automedon　held　the
meat　while　Achilles　chopped　it；　he　then　sliced　the　pieces　and　put　them
on　spits　while　the　son　of　Menoetius　made　the　fire　burn　high。　When
the　flame　had　died　down；　he　spread　the　embers；　laid　the　spits　on　top
of　them；　lifting　them　up　and　setting　them　upon　the　spit…racks；　and
he　sprinkled　them　with　salt。　When　the　meat　was　roasted；　he　set　it　on
platters；　and　handed　bread　round　the　table　in　fair　baskets；　while
Achilles　dealt　them　their　portions。　Then　Achilles　took　his　seat　facing
Ulysses　against　the　opposite　wall；　and　bade　his　comrade　Patroclus
offer　sacrifice　to　the　gods；　so　he　cast　the　offerings　into　the　fire；
and　they　laid　their　hands　upon　the　good　things　that　were　before
them。　As　soon　as　they　had　had　enough　to　eat　and　drink；　Ajax　made　a
sign　to　Phoenix；　and　when　he　saw　this；　Ulysses　filled　his　cup　with
wine　and　pledged　Achilles。
　　〃Hail；〃　said　he；　〃Achilles；　we　have　had　no　scant　of　good　cheer；
neither　in　the　tent　of　Agamemnon；　nor　yet　here；　there　has　been
plenty　to　eat　and　drink；　but　our　thought　turns　upon　no　such　matter。
Sir；　we　are　in　the　face　of　great　disaster；　and　without　your　help
know　not　whether　we　shall　save　our　fleet　or　lose　it。　The　Trojans　and
their　allies　have　camped　hard　by　our　ships　and　by　the　wall；　they
have　lit　watchfires　throughout　their　host　and　deem　that　nothing　can
now　prevent　them　from　falling　on　our　fleet。　Jove；　moreover；　has　sent
his　lightnings　on　their　right；　Hector；　in　all　his　glory；　rages　like
a　maniac；　confident　that　Jove　is　with　him　he　fears　neither　god　nor
man；　but　is　gone　raving　mad；　and　prays　for　the　approach　of　day。　He
vows　that　he　will　hew　the　high　sterns　of　our　ships　in　pieces；　set　fire
to　their　hulls；　and　make　havoc　of　the　Achaeans　while　they　are　dazed
and　smothered　in　smoke；　I　much　fear　that　heaven　will　make　good　his
boasting；　and　it　will　prove　our　lot　to　perish　at　Troy　far　from　our
home　in　Argos。　Up；　then；　and　late　though　it　be；　save　the　sons　of　the
Achaeans　who　faint　before　the　fury　of　the　Trojans。　You　will　re